


The Captain's treasure

by IcyTouch



Category: DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types, Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-
Genre: Almost-Drowning, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Anxiety Attacks, Awkward cuddles, Boats and Ships, Child Labour, Claiming, Dark Past, Dorks, Emotional Manipulation, Fever, Fever Dreams, Friendship, Insanity, Kidnapping (Sort of?), Light Intimidation, Loss of Trust, M/M, Morning Sex, Past Issues, Public Corporal Punishment, Public Display of Affection(s) nudge nudge wink wink, Rai Tries Okay, Ransen is a port city, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sailors Being Sailors, Sanga & Touga, Sei Is Such An Angel, Sexual Harassment, Shock Reactions, Singing, Soul Bond, Tasteless Jokes, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Threats of Corporal Punishment, Tokino Is A Sweetheart, awkward confessions, battles, mentioned mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-11 01:16:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 14
Words: 49,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15304212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IcyTouch/pseuds/IcyTouch
Summary: One day, a ship with black sails sets anchor in Ransen's port and rumors spread that it's the most feared pirate ship of Sisa - theRevengeunder Captain Rai's command. Originally, all said Captain wanted here was to end his dark past once and for all, but when he meets a young boy with crooked tail whose voice is more powerful than any other he's ever heard, the shadow that surrounds him starts to fade...





	1. Chapter 1 or A pirate, his enemy, a kitten and a devil

_Come my beauty, bring us wine and beer,_  
_bring us wine and beer, we're dying of thirst here!_  
_Oh, come my beauty, bring us wine and beer,_  
_for we're lusting after you!_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Konoe carefully placed the pen down. He was done writing the bills for today, now he just had to wait for the ink to dry up. Meanwhile, his gaze wandered towards the small window over the desk and he sighed dreamily. There, in the port, were hundreds of beautiful ships, ready to set sail and travel to beautiful islands all around Sisa. How much he wished he could board one of them! It wouldn't matter where it took him if it just was a place far, far away from here! Not that he minded his work in the inn, not at all, Bardo took good care of him. The only reason he wanted to leave this place once and forever was...

The sailors.

"Konoe, are you done with the bills?", a deep voice called suddenly and Konoe jumped, almost knocking over the glass with ink.

"Y-Yes, Sir!"

A tall, blackhaired cat appeared in the doorway, carrying steaming plates with food.

"Then get to work in the bar, our guests are thirsty!", Bardo advised him with a smile and Konoe nodded, stacking the papers on the desk up neatly.

"Right away, Sir!"

He hurried out into the bar, filled various glasses with beer and brandy and handed them out to the sailors by the counter. Bardo served the plates and disappeared in the kitchen again, making Konoe lower his ears instinctively. The innkeeper could just hire another cat for cooking, but he preferred to that himself and so he spent more time in the kitchen than at the reception or the dining room, never noticing how the sailors treated Konoe.

"Yo, boy! Get yo lazy ass up and bring us something to drink!", a dark voice hollered and with a short flinch, Konoe got back to work.

As he carried the tray to one of the tables, various hands reached out to grab his tail and even his ears, but he slipped out of their reach quickly. Judging from how red the faces of this sailors were, they'd been drinking at another bar before already. One of them even tried to pull him down for a kiss, but Konoe jerked his wrist out of the man's hold and flattened his ears, hissing quietly. Bardo always told him to stay polite, no matter the circumstands, but he couldn't stand those people. Sailor cats weren't good-mannered in general and they got even worse when drunk.

"Oho, the kitten has guts!", one of the men slurred and grabbed the base of Konoe's tail. "Come on, kitty, show us your claws!"

The boy just wanted to growl at the sailor, but suddenly, a strong hand closed tightly around the man's upper arm, sqeezing so hard that he gasped in pain.

"I believe the young man has made his point clear", a deep voice rang through the room. "Please refrain from touching him if he does not like it."

When Konoe looked up, his hazel eyes were met with an eterneal grin and he shuddered in disgust.

_Verg._

If the sailors were bad, then Verg was horrible. The devil always had it out for Konoe, never missing a chance to embarrass him in front of a room full of people, whether it was due to tugging at his tail and making him shriek or pulling him into his lap while talking to another customer. Despite that, Bardo never seemed to notice how tense Konoe was around the devil and he'd even took a liking to the strange creature over the years. Verg had been a good customer to them, stopping by almost every single day to harass Konoe and have a chat with Bardo. This week, the young cat hadn't seen him at all - until today. Moving away from both the sailor and Verg, he lashed his tail agitatedly and fled to his usual place behind the bar. Verg followed him with his trademark grin, leaning against the wooden countertop.

"Well, well... Good evening, kitten", he purred and rested his chin in his hand. "How are you doing on this fine day?"

Konoe pressed his lips together, swallowed down the bitter taste in his mouth and served Verg his usual drink.

"I'm... okay, Sir. Thank you."

His words sounded stiff and formal, but the devil didn't seem to mind. He swayed his long, black tail happily, and even though Konoe turned his back to him, he knew that Verg was watching him attentively.

"Ah, Ko~no~e, seeing you is everything I look forward to all day", he finally sighed and reached out one arm, gently stroking Konoe's cheek with the back of his hand.

The young cat shook with disgust and stepped back. He already considered escaping to the office until Verg had left, when suddenly, Bardo appeared in the dining room. As soon as he spotted Verg in the midst of the usual customers, his face lit up and he walked over with long strides.

"Verg! Haven't seen your visage here all week, where've you been?", he yelled and his palm collided with the devil's shoulder.

Verg seemed surprisingly calm at the sudden impact, just shifted his weight to the side so he could look straight at Bardo.

"Oh well, it's not like I can hang around all year doing nothing, you know", he chuckled and the two began to chat happily.

Konoe, relieved that Verg was occupied, went back to handing out drinks for the other guests at the bar, until the door opened and a tall, dark figure stepped inside. The young cat looked up in surprise. Usually, there were no more new customers at this time of the day... But the person stepped towards the reception desk and Konoe hurried over, drying his hands on the apron he was wearing.

"Good evening, Sir, how may I help you?", he asked, politely averting his eyes.

 _Never make direct eye contact with a new customer,_ he heard Bardo's voice ringing in his ears, so he just looked at the man from the corner of his eyes.  
Judging from the fine clothes and the weapons by his side, he was one of the wealthier cats who stayed at the inn only because it was close to the port.

 _He wants to board one of the beautiful ships!,_ Konoe thought longingly.

Face shrouded in darkness by the black hood he was wearing, the stranger turned to the side. A wave of silver hair spilled out from beneath his cloak and Konoe couldn't do anything but stare. He'd never seen a cat with such pretty hair.

"I need a room for two nights."

And how beautiful his voice sounded! Cold and smooth, like iron wrapped in silk and Konoe continued to stare at his slender form, completely taken aback. When the stranger moved again, a single, ice blue eye pierced right through Konoe.

"O-Oh, yes, of course, Sir", the boy stuttered embarrassedly and wrote down a small note, handing the man over his key. "I'll show you to your room."

The silver cat nodded and followed Konoe upstairs. Moving slightly faster than needed, the boy tried to stay out of reach. Usually, all guests tried to grab his tail when walking behind him, but the stranger just followed closely without even attempting to touch his tail.

"Here, the door to your left. Please have a good night, Sir", he muttered.

The stranger walked past him without another word and the last thing Konoe heard was the soft clicking of the door. Staring after the white cat with clouded eyes, he sighed softly.

If only he was a man like that... Then he could go anywhere he wanted, too...

But a group of sailors that entered and yelled for beer made him forget this daydream all too quickly. He headed down the stairs again, continued to fill glasses with beer, whisky and brandy, carried trays and cleaned dishes until night had fallen over Sisa. The usual guests had already left long ago and only a few cats that were staying at the inn had remained by the bar. Konoe was cleaning up the tables when suddenly, someone whistled sharply.

"Konoe, get us some more brandy!"

Bardo, who was still chatting with Verg, had called him over. Filling two glasses with swift, practiced movements, he replaced the empty ones and turned around.

"It's almost midnight, Sir", he muttered, lowering his ears. "Can I go to sleep now?"

Bardo smiled and reached over the counter, gently ruffling Konoe's hair.

"Can you clean up the kitchen first? I'll talk with Verg for a little bit longer."

Sighing in exhaustion, Konoe turned around and nodded.

"Of course, Sir..."

"Now, now, Bardo, let the kitten go to sleep, don't you see how tired he is? I'd _love_ to take him upstairs", Verg chuckled and grabbed Konoe's wrist, jerking him back and sending the young cat falling into his lap.

Konoe shuddered when the hot body of the devil pressed against him and bolted up, knocking one of the filled glasses off of the counter. It shattered into pieces and Konoe cried out in shock when he lost his balance, but a strong arm wrapped around his waist just in time.

"Konoe!"

Bardo hugged him tight against his chest and turned away from the devil, unintentionally flattening his striped ears.

"I don't like the way you talk to him", he snarled, directing his words towards Verg before looking down at Konoe again. "Go upstairs, I'll take care of everything here."

The boy nodded shakily and went upstairs with quick steps, leaving Bardo and Verg behind.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Rai woke up early as always, crossing both arms behind his head and waiting for sleep to leave his mind. The night had been loud, he'd heard cursing, yelling, the scattering of glass, the boy crying out, frantic steps leaving the inn and a deep, familiar voice calling:

_"Don't be too mad at him!"_

Rai had been awake for long after that. The boy down in the bar... He was so small, almost fragile, but determined to work hard and be polite. Still... Rai had seen the exhaustion in his eyes, his slumped shoulders, how he flinched when someone called his name, the way his ears and tail only moved when someone tried to grab them.

_Konoe._

Did he really need to work here, at a small inn by the port? At _Bardo's_ inn? This was no place for a young boy. Just as he finished this thought, someone knocked against the door. Rai got up, fixed his clothing and gear and walked over to let the person in. The boy - Konoe - was standing in front of the door with a tray.

"Good morning, Sir. Your breakfast is ready", he muttered and Rai stepped aside, allowing him to enter.

Konoe placed the tray down on the table by the window, his hands were shaking slightly. A black shadow seemed to loom over him and dark circles were forming beneath his eyes. Red bruises stained his wrists, they hadn't been there yesterday. Rai would've noticed.

"Can I get you something else, Sir?", Konoe muttered, still avoiding Rai's gaze as he stepped back, suspicious, ready to escape anytime.

The whitehaired cat shook his head and sat down on the bed. He liked the way Konoe moved, so gracefully and smooth that it looked like his feet were barely touching the floor.

"No, it's fine."

His voice sounded harsher than intended, but that couldn't be helped. Konoe lowered his ears and just wanted to leave the room when Rai suddenly remembered something.

"Wait", he called out. "Is the innkeeper around?"

The young cat turned around and shook his head briskly.

"He's currently out in the city, running some errands, but he should be back soon."

Rai sighed softly and scowled. He'd hoped to settle everything as fast as possible...

"Konoe, get down here!", a deep voice roared and the boy flinched.

With a quick bow, he excused himself and hurried down the stairs. Rai stared after him for a few moments, then he sat down by the table. Hot tea, a sandwich with roastbeef and a glass of juice. Carefully digging his teeth into the fresh bread, Rai closed his eyes and swayed his tail. This... was really good. While finishing his breakfast, he thought about his crew. They were probably bored by now. Hopefully, nobody tried to leave the ship. But he had told them to wait patiently for him, so it should be fine.

"Anyway...", he muttered to himself. "I should get this over quickly."

Getting up and carefully placing the silverware back on the tray, he carried it downstairs and put it into the kitchen. Konoe was already working in the bar again, a few sailors sat by the tables. Rai scowled and leaned against the wall near the staircase, his black cloak hid him from the curious eyes of the other guests.

_How can you drink alcohol that early in the morning?_

Disgusted, he turned towards the boy again. He was quiet for most of the time, but when he talked, a strange chord was strummed deep inside of Rai's body. He felt the urge to draw his sword, to fight, to move his body, _anything._

He had never heard a voice like this.

Completely entranced by the young cat, he didn't even notice that the door to the inn opened and someone entered. Only when Konoe stiffened and his tail bristled out in agitation, Rai shifted his attention to the newcomer. He was dressed in strange, much too revealing clothes and black horns curved upwards from his sleeves.

_A devil._

The silver cat growled deep in his throat, instinctively extending his claws.

"Good day, kitten!", the devil purred darkly and reached out to touch Konoe's ears. "How did you sleep?"

The boy flinched back, but he didn't resist much. Why? He had no problem with clawing or hissing at the sailors, it couldn't just be because this was a devil.

 _No matter what, it isn't worth picking a fight,_ Rai thought, disgruntled.

He'd only intervene if the boy was in danger. People harassed young males on a daily basis out on the streets, so why care much about this one? But suddenly, the devil chuckled and leaned forward grabbing Konoe's left ear and pulling him closer even though the boy mewled in pain. Rai gritted his teeth until his jaw ached and bolted towards them, jerking Konoe back and away from the devil. The young cat hissed and tried to twist out of his grip, but Rai just held him tighter and glowered at the creature in front of them.

"This boy is clearly not fond of your... _affections",_ he spat out coldly, hand placed on the dagger he was carrying. "Leave him be."

Sighing, the devil rested his chin in his hand and stared at Konoe who was breathing heavily.

"Ah, so you _do_ got a knight in shining armor, kitten?", he chuckled. "Well, it can't be helped then, I guess. See you, Konoe~!"

He got to his feet and left the inn with swift, light steps. Rai growled after him, then he released Konoe from his grip. The young cat looked up at him with flushed cheeks, embarrassed but relieved. Obviously, nobody had ever stood up for him.

"T-Thank you, Sir", he muttered and stepped back, his caramel-tipped tail swayed slightly.

Just then, Rai noticed the small crook in it and let out an amused huff. What an interesting cat indeed...

"No problem. Has he been doing this for long now?", he asked quietly, sitting down by the bar.

Why did he even want to know? But it was too late, the fur of the boy stood on end already and his hazel eyes shot over to the door hectically.

"Verg... is one of Bardo's favourite customers", he just muttered and got back to work.

Rai furrowed his eyebrows. With other words, Konoe was forced to let him do as he pleased. Bardo had really lost every single bit of dignity left in him, if he even had any to begin with. A devil? Really?

"Do the other guests treat you the same?"

His voice was freezing. Konoe flinched, looked down, but he nodded. Rai felt like unsheathing his sword and causing a massacre right here and there. What caused a man to sink so deep that he harassed a _kitten?_ He was disgusted with his own kind.

"Did you tell Bardo about it?", he dug deeper, but Konoe just shook his head in embarrassment.

"I... I can't accuse his favourite customer, he wouldn't believe me", the boy whispered. "And if he gets angry and kicks me out... I have no family, nowhere to go!"

He'd been abandoned in the streets of Ransen when he was little and Bardo had taken him in, had given him food, clothes and a bed to sleep in, he was almost like a father to Konoe. It didn't bother him to work for Bardo, not at all, but there just was this constant fear of losing everything he had...

Rai bit his lips and turned away. He knew this feeling all too well, but still... Living in fear, day and night, always scared of being touched again... That wasn't the right kind of life for a young boy. Just as he sunk deeper into those aggravating thoughts, the door to the inn opened once more.

"Yo, Konoe, I'm back! Any problems while I was gone?", a cheerful voice asked and Rai spun around, readjusting his hood slightly to hide his face.

A familiar, tall cat strode towards the counter and placed something down. Rai narrowed his eye to see what it was and tilted his head almost unnoticeably.

Kuims?

But before he could wonder, Konoe suddenly smiled and grabbed one of them, digging his teeth into it. The pink juice dripped down his chin and neck, soaked into his black shirt, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Thank you, Bardo!", he muttered gratefully, curling his tail mid-air in delight.

The striped cat laughed and petted Konoe's ears before putting down his bag.

"I know how much you like them and you really deserve a reward from time to time", he stated with gentle voice.

Then, his eyes wandered towards Rai, who was still sitting next to them, trying to keep himself from hissing.

"And who may this be? A new customer?", Bardo asked curiously.

At those words, Rai rose to his feet and pulled off the black hood. Silver hair spilled over his back and down to his hips, swaying slightly, his fangs were bared and his ears flattened with hatred. But Bardo didn't move an inch, he just stood there and calmly looked back at Rai.

"If this isn't my little runaway. Welcome back after all this years."

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"I've only come here to make you pay your debts", Rai snarled and grabbed the hilt of his sword. "Don't think I've come back for _you!"_

Bardo slowly moved his striped ears back, pressing them flat against his head.

"Don't cause a scene here!", he hissed, grabbing Rai's arm and dragging him into the office.

Konoe looked after them with wide eyes, but Bardo couldn't be brought to care about that right now. He slammed the door shut behind Rai and started to pace in the small room, running one hand through his black hair again and again.

"Listen, old man", Rai finally snapped and let go of his weapon. "I'm not here for long and I don't care if you think that this is unfair or illegal, _I don't care,_ okay? All I want is payback for all your lies, then you'll never see me again."

Bardo turned around, leaned against the desk and crossed both arms in front of his chest.

"And what _exactly_ do you want?", he asked with a sigh of exasperation.

Rai walked over to the desk as well, going through the neatly organized bills.

"At first, I thought about getting money from you, but..."

He finally found what he was looking for - a simple, blank piece of paper. Placing it right in front of Bardo, he grabbed the pen from where it was sitting and shoved it into the innkeeper's hand.

"I've found something better. And I want to have it, for its own good."

Bardo stared at him in suspicion, furrowing his eyebrows.

"And what would that be?"

Rai turned around and stared at the door like he was trying to see through the wood.

"Konoe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize to SonicoSenpai if anything in our fanfics is similar, and if there is a grave similarity, I will have my story removed immediately. In my defense, I have never read _Siren of the Sea,_ all I know is that Rai is a captain in it too. Again, my sincere apologies if it looks like I've stolen your concept.
> 
> To everyone else reading this: thank you very much for wasting some time here!  
> Lots of love,
> 
> Icy  
> (◕‿◕✿)
> 
> Lyrics used: _Tanz mit mir_ by Santiano ft. Faun (translated)


	2. Chapter 2 or Escape plans and how to fail them

_Johnny boy, Johnny boy,_   
_We're born for stormy weather!_   
_Johnny boy, Johnny boy,_   
_Better wish your lads farewell!_   
_Somewhere out, far away_   
_We're sailing on together!_   
_Oh John my boy, we are leaving tonight,_   
_Johnny, say Goodbye!_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Bardo's mind was racing, his pulse sky-rocketed.

Konoe.

Rai wanted Konoe. His Konoe. But...

"Why?", he blurted out. "Rai, he is a goddamn _kitten!_ What are you going to do with him? Take him with you on the _Revenge?_ Your men are going to crush him within seconds, he has no chance to-"

"He will be under my special care", Rai hissed, slamming one hand down on the tabletop. "I will never let him get out of sight and everyone is going to respect him, unlike _here!"_

Bardo clenched his jaw and stepped back from the piece of paper like he'd just burned himself.

"Never", he growled threateningly. "I raised him, I took care of him since he was ten, I watched over him for six years and I can't just give him away like that! Konoe trusts me!"

The silver cat across the room lowered his head and bared his fangs again in rage.

"He trusts you? He _trusts_ you? Like _I_ trusted you? Konoe doesn't even trust you enough to tell you that he's scared of that devil, that the sailors are harassing him day and night, that he's being groped when he walks around the room! You're _pathetic_ if you think he really trusts you!"

Bardo opened his mouth, closed it again, desperately trying to understand.

"Scared? But Verg is just playing around, he would never hurt Konoe..."

Rai's face was distorted with hatred and contempt.

"Go on, tell yourself everything is okay, like you always did", he growled. "But nothing is okay and your precious Konoe is shaking with fear when this devil approaches him even in the slightest."

_Like you always did._

For a few moments, there was only silence, then Bardo took a step towards the silver cat. And another one. And another one. Until he was standing right in front of the desk, staring down at the blank page.

_Like you always did._

His fingers curled around the pen, lifted it. All light had left his eyes, like they'd grown dull from one moment to the other.

_Like you always did._

Only the sound of a pen scraping over paper filled the room, then he handed the page to Rai, who accepted it with a suspicious glare at Bardo before he read over it.

_I hereby declare that Rai is free to proceed with Konoe as he likes, under the condition that he promises to protect and take care of him until the day Konoe comes of age and is able to decide for himself._

Beneath those few words was Bardo's signature. Rai nodded slowly, folded the paper and put it into the pocket of his cloak.

"This will do. I think it's fair to say that your debts have been paid fully."

Bardo only watched apathetically as the silver cat left the office.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"Konoe!", Rai barked and the boy, who was just carrying another tray with drinks to one of the tables, jerked his head up.

"Y-Yes, Sir?"

The tall cat walked over, forced him to put down the glasses and dragged him away from the customers who watched them with narrowed eyes.

"Hey, what's going on? Let go of me, let go!", Konoe complained, trying to pry Rai's hand off of his wrist. "I have to work, you can't simply pull me awa-"

"Yes, I can", Rai interrupted him harshly. "You belong to me now, so there will be no more work in the bar for you."

Hazel eyes stared at him angrily, black pupils narrowed down to slits.

 _"Belong?",_ Konoe echoed. "I don't belong to you! What are you-"

Again, he was cut off roughly, this time by a piece of paper that got shoved into his face. Grabbing it from the white cat in front of him, he skimmed over the text and his jaw went slack. This... This was definitly Bardo's signature...

"Proceed with me as he likes...?", he asked with shaking voice. "What... what does this mean? T-This can't be, it can't! Bardo!"

He wanted to lunge forward, but Rai caught him and pulled him back, making Konoe turn around and hiss.

"Let go of me! Bardo!"

Again, he struggled against the silver cat's grip. The door to the office opened and Bardo appeared in the wooden doorway, striped tail hanging limp by his side. Konoe reached out one hand towards the blackhaired cat, but Bardo only turned away slightly.

"Bardo, please... W-Why? This can't be true, say it's not true, say this isn't true, why are you doing this?", Konoe screamed desperately. "What did I do to make you upset? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please, why are you giving me to him? What did I do wrong? I'm sorry, please!"

Hot tears were slipping down his cheeks, but he didn't even notice. Suddenly, Rai dragged him along, up the stairs and into his room, locking it from inside and pocketing the key. Sobbing hysterically, Konoe tried to open the door again.

"No, no! You can't, he can't, he can't do this, no, please..."

"Konoe, calm down!"

Rai's voice pierced his ears and he flinched back, tucking his tail between his legs and flattening his ears in panic. He was frozen in place and when Rai tried to touch him, he only stiffened more.

"Look, Konoe, your life will be better from now on", Rai tried to explain impatiently. "There is no need to be scared, nobody will ever bother you anymore. You'll come with me on my ship tomorrow, everything will be okay."

But the young cat didn't answer. The words didn't even reach him. All he heard were his own, silent cries that echoed back from the blank walls of his mind.

_Why why why why why_

But there was no answer. There was never an answer. Slowly, he sank down by the wall, hugged his knees to his chest and wrapped his caramel-tipped tail around himself. Rai sighed, crouched down and gently stroked his hair and ears.

"I understand. I'll leave you alone for some time. And I won't lock the door either, so you can leave whenever you want. But don't try to escape or anything, we'd catch you faster than you can imagine."

With those words, he got up and left the room. Konoe just stayed where he was, staring at the opposite wall without blinking once. The clock above the door ticked quietly and he was aware of every passing second while being equally numb to it at the same time. Nobody came upstairs, the guests didn't even yell or laugh today. It was like the world itself didn't want to bother him in his silent despair - until it sent the living incarnation of sunshine his way.

"Konoe, Bardo said you were upstairs!"

A whirlwind of ginger hair and fur barged into the room, looked around in surprise until it spotted Konoe sitting by the wall and turned into a worried-looking merchant cat named Tokino.

"Konoe? Dear goddess Ribika, what happened? Were you... crying? I've never seen you cry before!"

He knelt down in front of the shaking Konoe and gently took his face in both hands, cleaning up the dried, salty trails.

"You're so pale, are you sick? Come on, let's go outside so you can get some fresh air..."

Tokino carefully helped Konoe up and guided him down the stairs, out of the inn and to the wooden pier where they settled down. For a while, there was only silence and the tranquilizing sound of waves hitting the shore. Konoe took a deep breath until his lungs were filled with Tokino's familiar, sweet scent, then he turned to his best friend.

"Bardo... He sold me to a stranger."

The ginger cat flinched, stared at Konoe.

"He... _What?"_

His voice hitched in his throat, he clawed the wooden surface beneath them.

"You're lying, Konoe, that's not true! You're lying, you're lying!"

But when he saw the tears that were brimming in Konoe's eyes again, he swallowed and stared at his hands in horror.

"He said... He's going to take me away on his ship", the younger cat muttered, carving small patterns into the pier. "Tomorrow."

Tokino lashed his tail agitatedly.

"But... But how's that even possible?", he asked, voice almost cracking up. "He... He can't! There's no way!"

But Konoe just hung his head and curled up tighter against Tokino. His best friend whimpered quietly, buried his face in Konoe's hair and hugged him close.

"Konoe, you can't leave me alone..."

They sat by the pier for a long time and only when the moon of shadow started to shine down on them, they went back to the inn and upstairs, into Konoe's room. Curling up on the bed around eachother, they didn't sleep much that night. Instead, they quietly tried to plan Konoe's escape.

"It would be best if you fled to a village far in the north", Tokino whispered thoughtfully. "I can steal a horse for you. And once nobody talks about you anymore, I'll come too."

Konoe dug his claws into the arm of his best friend and shook his head.

"I can't go alone!", he hissed. "I... I don't know the way and I... I have a terrible sense of directions, I would get lost the moment I set foot outside Ransen! Come along, please..."

It was Tokino's turn to shake his head.

"If we travel together, we'll get recognized far too easily. And besides, if I stay behind I may be able to cover your tracks!"

Sighing, Konoe nestled closer to his best friend. Tokino seemed to notice his exhaustion and wrapped his tail around them both.

"Let's sleep for now", he murmured and yawned.

For some time, it was absolutely quiet. Konoe tried to close his eyes, but he couldn't. His thoughts always trailed off to the silver cat. Why did he even want him? He was no sailor, he wasn't even a very good fighter. There was nothing a boy like him could do on a sailing ship.

_Except..._

He shuddered at the thought that suddenly came to his mind. Lately, there were rumors about young male cats being purchased by wealthy men since they were much easier to get and cheaper to afford than females. Those cats were only used for... _entertainment purposes._ And he... He would be on a ship full of men who hadn't been ashore for quite some time, completely at the mercy of this silver cat. He could do _God knows what_ to him and then leave him to the other sailors...

"Tokino?", he whispered almost instinctively.

"Nh... Hmm?"

The ginger cat had obviously been half-asleep already. Konoe swallowed thickly.

"If... If we can't escape... If he takes me with him... Try to get hired on his ship. I can't be alone there, please..."

Immediately, Tokino was wide awake.

"That's _the_ idea, Konoe! I'll do that, I promise! And then, one day, we're going to escape from this man and start a new life somewhere else."

With this words soothing his raging desperation, Konoe slowly closed his eyes and surrendered to sleep.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"Wake up! It's almost morning", a quiet voice whispered next to his ear.

Konoe sat up sleepily and was met with worried, sky-blue eyes. They'd slept in their clothes, there was no time to lose. Quickly pulling the thin, black cloak over his ears, Konoe followed Tokino outside. Their steps echoed loudly in the empty streets of Ransen and Konoe was breathing heavily once they reached the shop of Tokino's father. Next to the main building was a small stable with three horses. Tokino opened the first box and saddled a dun horse, leading it outside to where Konoe was waiting. He handed the reigns over to his friend and patted the neck of the tall animal.

"This is Lady Sunshine, my favourite", Tokino muttered. "She's fast, strong and smart, just let her lead you when you need water. She'll also sense danger from afar, so don't worry about bandits. Go as fast and as far as possible, I'll catch up soon."

Konoe swallowed when the mare neighed softly and nudged his arm.

"How will you find us?", he asked quietly while pulling the hood down further.

Tokino smiled bitterly and pointed towards a jet black stallion who was prancing nervously in his stable.

"Not me, him. He will find her, no matter what. But now hurry, we don't have much-"

Out of the blue, Konoe's ears flattened and he lunged forward, clasping one hand over Tokino's mouth. The ginger cat fell silent, widening his eyes worriedly. Suddenly, a large shadow filled the doorway and Lady Sunshine jumped back, shaking her mane and pawing the ground. Konoe was trembling when dark leather boots stepped into his field of vision and a hand reached out for him.

Rai.

"Unsaddle this horse", he demanded calmly, looking at Tokino. "I'll take Konoe back. He isn't going anywhere without me."

Grabbing the younger cat's arm tighter, he dragged him out of the stable and onto the streets. Suddenly, Konoe's whole being flared up with anger and he tried to break free of Rai's grip.

"Let go of me, let go!", he hissed and lashed his tail irritatedly. "I said, _let go!"_

But the silver cat just pursed his lips in amusement and continued to walk, ignoring Konoe's resistance.

"Just stop, kitten", he finally huffed. "This won't get you anywhere."

"Before I let you take me away from here, I'll see you in hell!", the boy yelled and struggled against Rai's hold again.

When the white cat only sighed at him, he lunged his fist forward. But Rai dodged the hit effortlessly and stared down at him with a scowl.

"Learn to behave, Konoe."

With this words, he simply picked Konoe up and carried him down the street. The younger cat cursed, struggled, hissed at him and clawed Rai's long hair, but the man just held him tight and made sure not to hurt him in any way. When Konoe finally stopped the incessant curse litany to catch his breath, Rai stopped and put him down again.

"If you're done, we can walk normally again."

Watching the silverhaired cat with slack jaw, Konoe backed away. But Rai catched him by the shoulders and only let go after he was sure that the boy wouldn't run or attack him. But Konoe was too exhausted for such things anymore. He felt like crying, but the last piece of pride that was left inside him refused to do so. The white cat would just laugh at him. Instead, he blinked away the tears and brushed his sweaty hair out of his face.

"Better now? Good. Come on, we've got to visit a few stores."

Rai started walking again, not looking back once. Konoe sniffled slightly and stared after him, but then he followed obediently. He felt like a cornered animal, his arms ached from the silver cat's grip. Tomorrow he'd have bruises.

_Tomorrow._

He would be on the man's ship, at his mercy. The thought made him nauseous. Rai awaited him in front of a large store, swishing his tail slightly.

"Come on, we need to be ready by noon", he urged Konoe on.

They entered together and the younger cat looked around in awe. He'd never seen such a big shop before. Rai walked over to the counter where a blond cat was waiting for customers.

"I need two warm cloaks for him. Black and dark blue would be best. And a few shirts, also a new pair of boots", he ordered briskly.

The cat gathered everything he asked for and while he put away the coins Rai had handed him, he promised to bring the package to the ship in time. Contently, Rai dragged Konoe out on the streets and into a few other shops. By the time they were almost done, Konoe felt his ears droop. So many things... And all of them had been bought for him alone! Rai seemed to notice his hesitation and turned around, raising one eyebrow.

"What? You'll need everything once we've set sail. The weather out there can change in seconds and the winter storms are colder than here. And since we'll spend almost half a month at sea, better safe than sorry."

Konoe swallowed around the lump of fear in his throat.

Half a month!

Half a month with Rai and a crew of sailors on a ship, nowhere to escape to and no way to defend himself against the seafaring cats... He really felt like throwing up.

"Don't worry, once we've reached the island, you'll be allowed to move freely", Rai suddenly stated.

Konoe looked up at him in shock.

"I-Island?", he asked with shaking voice.

The silver cat nodded, his ears twitched slightly.

"Yes, my island. You'll like your new life in no time, I promise. Nobody is ever going to treat you like you were treated at the inn again."

With those harsh words, he walked down a smaller alleyway. Konoe followed closely, tired by all the shopping.

"Where are we going now?", he asked quietly.

Rai curled his white tail slightly and threw a short glare back.

"Only one shop is left we have to visit, don't worry. After that, we'll return to the inn and get your things, then we're done here."

The shop was small and dark, but when Konoe's eyes got used to the dim light, he gasped in shock. Hundreds of shiny necklaces, bracelets and rings were displayed everywhere and Rai let his gaze wander over them in thought. Then, he touched a thin, silver bracelet that was studded with red rubys. He reached one hand to the side, furrowing his brows until Konoe understood and carefully placed his hand in Rai's. An electric shock ran through him like lightning and he gasped quietly, but the tall cat didn't seem to notice. He gently slid the bracelet over Konoe's wrist and it tightened until there was no way he could ever take it off again. Staring at the beautiful piece of jewelry, Konoe wondered how this was possible. Rai seemed to be pleased with it and placed a few coins down where the bracelet had been sitting. Then, he dragged Konoe out of the store again.

"W-Why did you buy something this expensive?", the young cat asked in confusion.

Rai stared at him in disbelief, then he shook his head and sighed.

"I'll tell you tomorrow. There is more than enough time for explanations on board."

Konoe lowered his head, embarrassed about his own unknowingness. It wasn't his fault that he didn't know anything but his work at the inn! Just as he thought that, they arrived in front of the old, familiar building. Rai opened the door and let Konoe enter first. Bardo was nowhere to be seen, he was probably preparing breakfast for the customers in the dining room. Instead, there was someone sitting by the bar. Konoe flinched back, bumped into Rai by accident and caused the silver cat to look up. Verg's gaze was fixed on them, his usual grin had vanished and he looked...

_Angry._

"There you are. Konoe, you're coming with me", he growled and got up, reaching out one hand towards the boy. "Your caretaker owes me something, so come over here-"

"That has nothing to do with my Sanga", Rai suddenly snarled.

He stepped forward, shielding Konoe with his body. Verg seemed to swell with anger and stood up.

"Your Sanga? That's not possible!"

Konoe seemed equally shocked, but he was smart enough to shut his mouth and just hide behind Rai.

"Oh, it _is_ possible. You can take a look at his bracelet if you want", the white cat purred, his voice sounded threateningly soft.

Verg lowered his head and bared his sharp fangs. Even though he was bigger than Rai, the silver cat seemed to be the much more dangerous of the two.

"You can't have him!", the devil howled angrily. "I've planned this for years now, I want him! I've _got_ to have him!"

Rai smiled thinly and grabbed Konoe's wrist, leading him past the devil and towards the stairs.

"Well, he's my Sanga. Touch him in any way and you're dead."

He watched cautiously as Konoe escaped upstairs, then he followed slowly. The young cat was already placing his belongings into a bag, then he slung the belt over his shoulder and stared over at Rai who was waiting by the doorway. A fresh kuim was sitting on the windowsill, but Konoe walked past it. His tail swished slightly when Rai guided him out of the inn and down to the port. His hazel eyes wandered over their surroundings, but Tokino was nowhere to be seen. If he didn't catch the ship... Konoe pushed the thought far away. Rai stopped in front of a giant, black ship and let out a sharp whistle. Even the sails were black, Konoe noticed with a shudder as they walked up a slippery gangway.

"Welcome back, Rai!", someone yelled when they finally set foot on the ship.

A blackhaired cat waved at them, grinning happily. Rai walked over and they exchanged a few words, then the blackhaired cat nodded and saluted jokingly before heading towards a few men that were lazing around on deck.

"Get moving, boys, we're setting sail tomorrow! I want our baby to be in top condition!"

Immediately, the group climbed to their feet and before Konoe could even see how many there were, they scattered all over the ship, checking the sails and scrubbing the deck. Rai was still standing by Konoe's side, obviously amused about the amazed expression on the kitten's face.

"You'll get used to this all soon", he stated. "Will you be seasick?"

Konoe went pale at the thought and swallowed.

"I... I don't know", he answered weakly. "I've never been to a ship before."

Rai furrowed his brows.

"Guess we'll find out. Come on now, I'll show you the place you'll be staying at."

He led Konoe towards a locked staircase that was probably the only way to get under deck and opened the large wing door. Inside, there were beautiful carpets laid out and it wasn't as cold as outside. Despite knowing this would be something like a prison to him, Konoe couldn't help but feel comfortable here. It was dry and clean, a slightly salty scent hung in the air. Rai walked past a few ordinary doors until they reached a large, richly decorated door.

"Isn't this... the Captain's cabin?", Konoe asked quietly and Rai nodded.

But... Wasn't there something off?

"Why... why will I be staying in this cabin?", the young cat dug deeper. "Won't the Captain be mad if you just leave me here?"

The silverhaired cat suddenly smiled and Konoe shrank back. It was the first time he saw Rai smile genuinely.

"No, the Captain won't be mad", he stated softly. "I'm pretty sure he wants you here."

Was he a good friend of the Captain? The cats on deck had followed his commands immediately, so maybe he was the first mate here? But... didn't that mean... he belonged to the Captain instead of Rai? Were sailors allowed to bring people on board? Before he could ask, Rai suddenly opened the door and Konoe flinched. He hadn't even knocked!

_He must be on very close terms with the Captain..._

"Come in now, you have to be tired", the deep, smooth voice of the silver cat called.

Konoe followed him hesitantly, looking around. But there was nobody else in here except for Rai who simply took off his gear and placed it next to the bed. Throwing a glance at Konoe, who still stood in the middle of the cabin, he pointed at the bed.

"You can lay down if you want to."

But the boy shook his head and flattened his ear.

"Shouldn't we ask the Captain first?", he asked desperately, hoping the man would send him back to the inn if he found out that Rai had simply brought him along.

Flicking his white tail in slight annoyance, Rai turned around to face him fully.

"Listen, Konoe, _the Captain_ is standing right in front of you and now go lay down, I can see how exhausted you are."

Konoe jumped slightly and his hazel eyes widened in shock. Rai... was the Captain? Noticing his agitation, the silver cat smiled again, more grimly this time.

"Surprised? Yes, my crew doesn't call me Captain, but I was never one for titles. Now _lay down_ or I'll make you."

Shakily climbing onto the giant four-poster bed, Konoe curled up between the many pillows. He really wanted to cry right now, but there was no way he could ever do that in front of the silver cat.

"Why don't you rest for a while? If you're feeling nauseous, just come on deck, the door isn't locked. I'll be gone to the city for a few more hours, but my boys will take good care of you."

Rai stretched, grabbed a dark blue cloak that was hanging over the back of a chair and walked over to the door. Konoe watched him through half-lidded eyes, feverishly thinking of a way to escape while Rai was gone. But like he'd read his mind, the tall cat turned around once more.

"And... don't try to flee. I would hate to hurt you on your first day on board."

_Hurt me..._

Konoe closed his eyes and bit his lips in desperation. The soft clicking of the door told him that Rai had left. As soon as he had made sure of that, hot tears started to drip down his cheeks. He remembered the kuim by the windowsill.

_Why did you give me to him...?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is ruling my life by now, I swear xD I'm writing day and night, hoping the fic will carry Rai and Konoe somewhere nice, but I'm still not sure if I'll give them a happy end... ɾ⚈▿⚈ɹ But anyway! Thank you all for reading: wow! So many kudos in two days? You guys are amazing! ( ﾉ^ω^)ﾉﾟ
> 
> Lots of love,  
> Icy-kun  
> (◕‿◕✿)
> 
> Lyrics used: _Johnny boy_ by Santiano


	3. Chapter 3 or The crew and their Captain

_The kingdom of the sea, it is ours to reign,_  
_We broke our chains, we broke our chains!_  
_No man shall ever take our liberty again!_  
_As far as you can see and beyond we rule,_  
_Come join the crew, come join the crew!_  
_The tales of our ship are calling out to you!_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

After some time had passed, Konoe's sobbing slowly died out and all that remained were the dried tears on his cheeks and his shaky breath. He couldn't believe all this had really happened. Hadn't he been sitting in the office daydreaming about sailing on one of the ships a few days ago? He shuddered.

_I should be careful about what I wish for._

Who had known that dreams could become reality? But on the other hand, who had known that nightmares could too?

After he'd groomed himself, Konoe felt a little better and decided to leave the cabin. The floor beneath his feet was moving slightly, but he got used to it after pacing up and down in the luxurious room for a while. Opening the door, he climbed up the staircase and closed his eyes at the sudden, bright sunlight. A few men were working on deck, the rest seemed to be taking care of the rigging while somewhere on the ship, a beautiful voice sang. When Konoe carefully stepped towards the railing, a cat with bright blue hair lifted his head. He was sitting on a chest near the main mast and apparently, he had been singing until he spotted the newcomer. Standing up and walking towards Konoe, he rested one hand on his slender hips.

"And who are you?", the cat asked curiously. "I've never seen you on board before."

His smile was genuine and friendly, his blue tail swayed invitingly and Konoe returned the gesture, still keeping his distance.

"My name is Konoe", he muttered. "Rai brought me here today."

The blue cat twitched his ears and purred excitedly.

"Oh my! _Rai_ brought you here? Why? Not for work, obviously. Are you a Sanga?"

Konoe shrugged unsurely, taken aback by the sudden question, but he remembered that Rai said something about him being a Sanga back at the inn...

_That has nothing to do with my Sanga!_

A Sanga. His Sanga.

Konoe bit his lips. The cat in front of him tilted his head to the side.

"You don't know? But he must've brought you here for some reason... Ah, I'm sorry! I completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm Aoba", the young cat blurted out embarrassedly. "Sorry, sorry, I'm just so excited! We haven't had a new Sanga for long now..."

"Aoba, who are you talking to?"

Another cat, blackhaired with amber eyes, suddenly appeared. He smiled shyly at Konoe and almost seemed to be hiding behind Aoba. The smaller cat looked up at him and giggled.

"Konoe, this is Ren. He's my Touga."

Konoe nodded and watched the large man cautiously. In sharp contrast to his soft features, there was a large sword hanging by his side as well as some smaller daggers attached to various limbs of his body.

"Nice to meet you, Konoe", Ren muttered, wagging his bushy tail happily, almost like a dog.

More and more cats gathered around them, throwing eachother curious glares and introducing themselves. There was the tall, blackhaired cat that had greeted Rai earlier, his name was Koujaku, a strawberry-blond, grim-looking cat with dozens of piercings named Noiz, a cheerful cat with burgundy hair called Mizuki and a pair of blond cats that looked like twins and went by the names Trip and Virus.

"He's so cute!", Mizuki chuckled and his silky tail swayed from side to side. "Just look how small he is, even smaller than Aoba!"

Konoe flattened his caramel-tipped ears and growled in annoyance. He didn't like how they all stared at him nor did he want to be called cute or be mocked because of his height.

"I think you made him angry, Mizuki-san", the shorter blond cat named Virus stated with hypnotic voice. "Let's leave him alone for now. Will you sing again, Aoba-san?"

The bluehaired cat blushed and looked to the side.

"I-If you guys really want me to...", he muttered shyly and the other men cheered.

Konoe watched in fascination as they went back to work and Aoba climbed one of the smaller masts. He settled down on it and closed his eyes, then he parted his lips and began to sing.

_"I thought I heard the old man say-"_

"I didn't hear him _say_ it but the old man definitely _moaned_ my name last night", a cold voice suddenly mocked.

"Oi, shut it, you beansprout!"

The whole crew burst out into roaring laughter and Konoe watched in surprise as Koujaku smacked Noiz over the head with a grin, but his cheeks were definitely flushed.

"Do you want me to sing or not?", Aoba finally called out from where he was sitting.

Immediately, the men shut up and continued their work while Aoba took a deep breath and began to sing again.

_"I thought I heard the old man say:_  
_leave her, sailor, leave her,_  
_tomorrow you will get your pay_  
_and it's time for you to leave her._  
_For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow,_  
_leave her, sailor, leave her!_  
_Oh, the wind was cold and the sea ran high,_  
_we set the sails and the port went by._  
_Leave her, sailor, leave her!"_

The song chewed through Konoe's every bone, made him shudder. For a second, it felt like the words that were spun around him came to life and something flashed before his eyes. An image. A young boy standing by the railing of a ship, waving at someone he'd left behind. Konoe could only catch a glimpse of swaying black hair and a white handkerchief and while Aoba continued to sing, the image didn't come back. Konoe watched the blue cat in awe. Was this the power of a Sanga's song? To make the song come to life?

"You like his singing?"

The sudden voice behind Konoe startled him and he jumped, spinning around quickly. Rai stood by the gangway, his blue eye was focused on Aoba. Nodding cautiously, Konoe backed away from the tall cat but Rai didn't seem to notice it and just walked by him.

"Come on, kitten. Koujaku, we're going for dinner."

"Aye, Sir!", the blackhaired cat hollered and whistled sharply. "Boys, dinner's ready!"

From everywhere on the ship appeared cats, walking towards the wing doors, chatting and laughing happily. Konoe's fur stood on end. He knew this atmosphere very well. Soon, they would start grabbing his tail and ears and then they'd push him around like a doll, laughing and making fun of him. He froze on the spot.

 _You should be used to it by now,_ a quiet voice whispered.

But somehow, he wasn't.

He didn't want this anymore.

He didn't want all this.

He wanted to be far away from this place.

Sobbing, he turned around and dashed off, away from the sailors, past the door and out into the night. Wind was getting up and dark clouds gathered over Ransen.

"Konoe!", he heard someone yell behind him, but he didn't turn around.

Rain started to set in, there was not even time for him to look back before a heavy curtain of water gushed down on his small, trembling figure. He slipped on the wet wooden planks, fell, got up again. There was no way he could see what was ahead of him. Only when he crashed against the railing, he noticed that somehow, he'd reached the ship's bow. There were steps behind him and he turned around, seeing a flash of silver on deck.

"Konoe!", Rai yelled against the howling storm, but the young cat just pulled on his hood with shaking hands.

The dark cloth hid him well, but he couldn't stay here. Carefully avoiding Rai and the other men that were looking for him, he slithered down the wet planks and reached out one hand so he wouldn't run into something. When his fingers suddenly touched a smooth surface, he narrowed his eyes and stared at whatever was in front of him. A... door? But it wasn't the large wing door that lead down to the cabins... Breathing heavily, he tried to figure out whether he should enter or not, but when he suddenly heard steps approaching, he opened the door and slid inside. Warm light engulfed him along with a sweet scent and Konoe blinked slowly.

_Where... where am I?_

His body was still shaking with dry sobs and his knees gave out, making him sink to the floor. For a few moments, everything was quiet, and then...

"My, my, why are you crying? Did one of the mean cats hurt you?", an angelic voice asked worriedly.

Konoe lifted his head and stared at the person in front of him. But the only thing he could see was smooth, black hair and a pair of equally black eyes. The cat knelt down in front of him, gently pulling off his hood.

"Oh dear goddess Ribika, you're still a kitten! What did they do to you?"

He helped Konoe to take off his cloak, then he wrapped him in a dry, warm blanket and led him over to the bed that was standing by the wall.

"Poor little kitten, calm down... Those bad cats can't hurt you as long as I'm here", the voice purred softly. "Just rest for a while."

Gentle hands began to stroke his ears and hair, but Konoe was too tired to be suspicious of this person. His eyes slid shut and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

Unlike someone else.

Rai rolled over in the large bed, chewing on his lower lip angrily. He should've known that the other cats would scare Konoe! Now he'd run off to God knows where and nobody could find him. The rain had washed away his scent too, so they'd had to turn the whole ship upside down. Still no trace of Konoe, though. It was already past midnight now and Rai didn't dare to fall asleep, hoping Konoe would somehow find the way back to his cabin, but obviously, no such luck. Sighing, the silver cat sat up and pulled on his black boots, deciding to look for the young Sanga again. Yes, this boy was definitely a Sanga. He'd seen the way Konoe's eyes had sparkled when he'd heard Aoba sing today, like the song was reaching straight to his heart.

"Konoe?", he called quietly when he left the cabin, looking around the dimly lit hallway.

Nothing moved, only the gentle up and down of the waves answered him. Rai walked out on deck, let his eyes wander over every single mast.

"Konoe!"

The moon of shadows poured its silver light over the _Revenge,_ made the still wet wooden planks shine slightly. Suddenly, Rai noticed something. A small window by the bridge was still lit.

_Sei...?_

He made his way over to the door and knocked quietly. At first, there was no answer, then, someone opened. Eyes, dark like the night itself, stared at him questioningly.

"Captain?"

Sei was the only one who insisted on calling him that. His pale face was illuminated brightly by the light inside, and Rai could see a small figure curled up on the bed by the wall.

"Is Konoe with you?", the silver cat asked quietly.

The smaller male turned around and threw the kitten a soft look.

"So his name is Konoe? How beautiful. He's sleeping."

Rai just wanted to push Sei aside and enter the small room, when the black cat stopped him.

"What are you going to do?"

Rai snarled shortly and lowered his ears until they were pressed flat against his head.

"I'm going to take him to my cabin."

But Sei only shook his head in determination.

"Let him sleep tonight. He's scared, tired and confused."

For a second, it looked like the silver cat was going to attack him, but Sei just calmly stared back until Rai turned around and snorted.

"Fine. But tomorrow, I'm going to take him. He's a Sanga, his voice is shaking with power even when he talks normally. I want him for myself."

Sei frowned and his black eyes narrowed slightly.

"He's just a _kitten,_ Rai, he's probably never even been in heat before!"

But the dark growl of the silver cat told him that there was no way he could protect this boy from what was about to come.

"I said, _I want him,_ Sei. Let nobody near him while he's sleeping and bring him to my cabin at once when he wakes up."

Sei sighed, then he bowed down slightly, his black tail twitched with uneasiness

"As you wish, Captain."

With those words, he closed the door and returned to his bed where Konoe was sleeping soundly.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

As the hours passed, the moon of light started to rise, casting it's warm rays over Sisa. Still, Konoe slept. He slept through the loud yells, whistles and songs of the sailors, he slept through the rustling of chains as the anchors were weighed, he slept through the hissing of the wind as it gripped the sails, and he slept through the moment in which the _Revenge_ started moving. The large, black ship left Ransen's port and not one of the cats looked back. When Konoe finally woke up, the city was nowhere to be seen anymore. He blinked sleepily, opened his eyes and yawned, shifting slightly in his bed.

His bed.

No.

Only then, Konoe realized that he was not in his room at Bardo's inn. And with that, everything that had happened yesterday came crashing down on him like a wave of dark emotions, filling him to the brim with anger, fright and despair.

"Are you finally awake?"

An angelic voice echoed through the room and Konoe sat up when he noticed the blackhaired cat that was standing by the door. His long, slender tail swished happily, but he didn't try to approach Konoe in any way, like he'd noticed the boy's distant eyes.

"The Captain said I should take you back to his cabin after you've woken up."

His movements were graceful as he moved along the wall and gently picked up Konoe's cloak that was resting on top of a small dresser.

"It's better not to keep him waiting after you've ran away from him yesterday, he was pretty angry when he found out you were here."

Konoe watched the petite cat for a few seconds, then he bit his lips and nodded.

"Sorry for causing you trouble", he muttered and got up, trying to avoid the man's gaze.

But instead of irritation or annoyance, there was only a soft expression displayed on the cat's face.

"Trouble? No, you didn't cause any trouble for me at all. I'm glad you got to spend your first night here."

Konoe, who had been carefully grooming his tail, looked up.

"Why?"

The black cat didn't answer this time, but his face was distorted with something that could only be compassion.

"Come now, I'm sure, Rai is waiting for you already."

They left the small room together and Konoe shivered at the cold morning air. Expecting to see the other ships of the port around them, he turned to the left, but when he saw nothing but endless blue waves, he gasped in shock. Were they at sea already? How long had he slept? Panic seized him.

_Tokino!_

Did he make it in time? Had he even been accepted on board? A gentle hand was placed on his shoulder.

"We left Ransen three hours ago and we're sailing with the tide. The passage will last only one week if there are no storms or inconveniences", the black cat muttered.

Konoe looked up at him and nodded shakily, pulling his thin cloak tighter around himself. The man led him around the bridge and towards the wing doors, greeting a few of the other cats as they walked by. Once they arrived, he stepped back and looked at Konoe with warm eyes.

"If you need something or want to talk - just come to my room or ask the other cats where I am. My name is Sei."

And with those words, he disappeared like the wind had carried him away. Konoe shuddered and stepped inside, walking down the stairs under deck. The door to the Captain's cabin was closed and he knocked gently.

"You don't have to knock", an annoyed voice answered. "This is your cabin too."

Scowling, Konoe entered the luxurious room. Rai was standing by the window, watching the blue waves, his silver hair had been tied together at the back of his head. When he noticed Konoe, he turned around and stared at him with a stern eye.

"Why did you run away yesterday?"

His voice was cold as always and the younger cat gritted his teeth at the question.

"I... I got scared."

Rai bared his fangs shortly and his ears twitched back and forth.

"You will never run away from me again. If I tell you to stay by my side, I'm going to make sure nobody will hurt you. Try to understand that."

Konoe blushed. Maybe Rai was right... None of the other cats would've hurt him as long as the Captain was around, it was only his stupid imagination that caused him to panic. Sighing, the silver cat sat down in the chair by his desk.

"Today is time for questions and answers. Do you want to ask me something?"

Hundreds of questions began spinning in Konoe's head and he swallowed thickly. Where should he even start? As he looked down, his gaze fell onto the gem-studded piece of jewelry around his wrist and he lifted it slightly.

"The bracelet."

Rai narrowed his ice blue eye at it and nodded.

"Those things are called _My treasure._ Usually, Tougas buy them for their Sangas for anniversaries or special occasions. They come in the form of bracelets, rings or necklaces and are a sign that the Sanga who wears it already belongs to a Touga."

Konoe looked down at his bracelet again. Did that mean...

"So I'm your Sanga now? But... But I've never sung before! I don't even _know_ if I'm a Sanga!"

The silver cat just huffed in amusement and his white tail swayed gently.

"Believe me, you are, we just have to wait. And I _don't care_ how long I'll have to wait, but you're going to sing your first song for me. You're the strongest Sanga I've ever seen, your voice is overflowing with power when you speak. You could talk my whole crew into walking the plank voluntarily, I'm sure."

Konoe nodded, he felt a little bit dizzy. All this... His legs gave out and he sank down on the bed, burying his face in both hands. Rai didn't urge him on, he just waited patiently until Konoe talked again.

"What about the island?"

"It's located in the south. There's clear blue water, a few smaller mountains, forests, beaches and palm trees. For a few months every year, we'll live there, the rest of time will be spent on my ship."

"Are you pirates?"

"Something like that."

Konoe nodded weakly. His head was still spinning, but he looked up at Rai while nervously biting his lips.

"What do you need me for?"

The Captain furrowed his brows at him.

"You'll sing for me when we're fighting, only for me. If I ever hear you sing for someone else, I'll lock you up here and remind you of who you belong to."

It was no empty threat and Konoe nodded quickly. For a few minutes, they sat in silence, then the younger cat lowered his head.

"Why... why did Bardo give me to you?", he asked quietly, his voice trembled.

Rai hissed. The sound was alarmingly loud and Konoe didn't dare to look at the silverhaired cat again.

"Because he had a debt to pay", his deep voice finally answered and then, quick steps approached the door. "Stay here until I'm back. You won't be allowed to wander around on deck today as a punishment for running away from me."

The young cat didn't resist. He waited until Rai had left the room, then he rolled over in the bed and stared at the silky blankets. They smelled... good. While he curled up around them and inhaled deeply, his eyes slowly started to close. He was still tired, his bones ached and he felt slightly nauseous. Was he getting seasick? Hopefully not. Sighing, he nestled closer to a soft pillow, dug his claws into it and drifted off into a light slumber. Even so, he couldn't really rest, something always kept his mind occupied, made him toss and turn and grip the sheets tighter. He didn't know how many hours had passed already, but suddenly, the door flung open and a large figure entered.

"Rai?"

Konoe's voice was still drowsy as he sat up and tried to see something in the dim light. Silver hair swayed slightly and a pale, slender hand reached for something that was resting atop of the drawer.

"Get up. Aren't you hungry?"

Thinking about it... Konoe _was_ hungry. He hadn't eaten in almost two days now and his stomach ached at the prospect of food. Hurriedly climbing to his feet, Konoe stumbled over to Rai who tossed one of the new, thick cloaks at him and turned around, ready to leave again. The younger cat just pulled the blue fabric over his shoulders and fumbled with the belt that would keep the cloak secured around his neck, but he couldn't really close it, so he just decided to leave it like that. But when they walked out on deck, a strong gust of wind started to ruffle his hair and almost blew away his cloak. Rai, who had pulled on his hood already, turned around to Konoe and narrowed his eyes.

"Do you really want to catch your death?"

With swift movements, he closed the belt and pulled the blue hood over Konoe's ears, making sure the warm fabric was wrapped around the younger cat tight enough. Blushing slightly, Konoe looked down. He wasn't used to Rai's kind side.

But was it even his intention to be kind?

 _He just doesn't want you to die because you're a Sanga,_ a voice in his head sneered. _Such a beautiful, strong cat wouldn't care for you if you weren't._

The words tasted bitter, but they were true. Rai didn't need him, he only needed a Sanga. Konoe shook his head to get rid of this thoughts and followed Rai closely, ears lowered beneath the hood and tail curled around his thighs to protect it. Another door was opened in front of him and the Captain motioned him to step inside. Konoe slid off his cloak and looked around in awe. A large banquet table had been set, the silverware glistened in the light of various candles, there were plates with delicious-looking food everywhere. Konoe felt his mouth water. He'd never seen something like this before. The cats that were already seated around the table looked up when he and Rai entered and smiled as the Captain passed by.

"Evening, boys", Rai greeted briskly and led Konoe towards two still empty chairs.

One of them looked almost like a throne with golden carvings and decorations, Konoe guessed it was Rai's special seat. With a swift, graceful movement, the silver cat sat down and motioned Konoe to do the same by his side. All cats stared at them expectantly and when the boy raised his head to look at Rai, the Captain sighed.

"I suppose, you all have met Konoe already, but let me get one thing straight: _mine."_

His voice was freezing cold and so stern that the sailors all flattened their ears.

"If someone touches him or treats him with less respect than he deserves, there will be consequences. _Public_ consequences."

Worried glares were exchanged between the cats, they seemed uneasy. Rai sighed, rested his chin in his hand and reached out one hand, grabbing his fork and piercing a bloody slice of roastbeef.

"And lastly: if he misbehaves, tries to flee or attacks one of you, report it to me. I will be the only one allowed to punish him."

Silent nods answered and Konoe felt like someone had emptied a bucket of ice cold water over his head. Suddenly, Rai clapped once and everyone started to fill their plates. Conversations started to flow smoothly, only Rai didn't talk to anyone. He was still brooding, staring at the opposite wall with narrowed eye, completely lost in thought. Konoe looked at the many plates in front of him and decided to just try everything. There was roastbeef, grilled chicken, turkey, veal and lamb, various vegetables and potatoes. He'd never gotten so much to eat before. Rai, whose fangs were dripping with fresh blood, watched him from the corner of his eye and smiled grimly.

_Poor kitten. Just eat your fill, I'll make sure to get you in better shape soon._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I'm excited for the next chapter! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Hope you aren't mad at the little filler here but I had to introduce the crew at some point~ Thank youuuu for reading! ( ﾉ^ω^)ﾉﾟ  
> Lots of love,
> 
> Icy-kun  
> (◕‿◕✿)
> 
> Lyrics used: _Jolly Roger_ by Santiano
> 
> Aoba's singing: _Leave her, Johnny_ which is a shanty from Assassins Creed Black Flag (slightly changed)


	4. Chapter 4 or Of hurting and healing

_Loneliness was your lover's name_   
_Still, you have loved her all the same_   
_Taking in your final breath_   
_You sink to the ocean's depth._

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

The strong winds ceased soon after dinner and Rai lifted his head, ears flicking back and forth slightly when he noticed the change. While the other cats continued to chat and drink, he got up and looked down at Konoe, who seemed to be content just with listening and watching the sailors in fascination.

"We're going back to our cabin", Rai demanded quietly, leading the younger cat back under deck.

Their steps were the only sound that echoed through the long hallway until they'd reached the Captain's cabin. A strange tension hung in the air once they had entered.

"Take off your clothes."

Konoe stared back at Rai, who was pulling out a silver key from his pocket and locked the door behind them. Suddenly, Konoe's throat felt dry and he swallowed thickly.

Was this... agitation in Rai's voice?

But before he could think about it, the silver cat had already stripped off his own coat and shirt. Konoe brought one hand up to the blue cloak he was wearing, slowly undoing it and placing it to he side. His fingers felt numb and slipped from the silky fabric of his new clothes, he was trembling. Suddenly, two strong arms wrapped around him from behind and Konoe gasped shakily.

"Need some help, kitten?"

Rai's voice was quiet and unreadable as he unbuttoned Konoe's shirt.

_He's always mocking me!_

The younger cat spun around, hissed and crossed both arms in front of his chest, clutching the dark shirt so it wouldn't slip down his arms.

"No, I... I don't want to go to bed, I don't need to sleep-"

"Who said we would sleep?"

Rai smirked, his silver hair shone brightly in the dim moonlight that poured in through the windows. One swift movement later, he was standing right in front of Konoe again, gently grabbing the dark shirt and sliding it down his shoulders. Konoe tried to push the taller cat's hands away once more and Rai scowled slightly.

"Konoe, if you are obedient and calm, it will feel good. But if you decide to refuse me, you're only going to hurt yourself", he warned quietly.

While Rai talked, he managed to unbuckle Konoe's belt.

"No! Let go of me, don't touch me!", the younger cat yelled and shoved his Touga away from him.

Slowly getting annoyed by the kitten's behaviour, Rai stepped closer again.

"Quit it, Konoe, or I'll give you something real to be upset about!"

His hand grabbed both of Konoe's wrists with ease, but instead of ceasing his resistance, the boy continued to struggle.

"That would suit you, you bastard!", he gasped, the words were spilling from his lips before he could even think about what he was about to say. "Leave me alone, let go of me!"

Rai pushed him up against the wall with such brute force that all air was sucked from Konoe's lungs.

"You are my Sanga", the silver cat explained with firm voice. "You'll have a much better life with me than you had at the inn. And don't forget about that devil. I could've just left you with him."

Konoe trembled, the thought of Verg made his blood freeze. While he was standing there, shaking with disgust, Rai pushed down his dark pants and urged him towards the large bed. Weakly sitting down by the edge, Konoe pressed the back of his hand against his lips when Rai suddenly knelt down in front of him. A sharp, sapphire blue eye glistened mysteriously through the darkness of the room and suddenly, a gentle kiss was placed on his thigh.

"I will treasure you, I will treat you like the prince you deserve to be, I will shower you with gold and diamonds, my precious Sanga."

Rai's voice was rough as he slowly removed Konoe's new, dark blue boots and placed them aside before standing up and stripping off his own pants. He was so tall and much stronger than Konoe could ever hope to be - and so beautiful that not even a member of the royal family could keep up with him. Long, silky hair poured down his body like liquid silver, his pale skin glowed in the dark, his blue eye sparkled brightly. Rai looked like an ancient deity as he towered in front of Konoe, who stared at him in wonder. A gentle hand brushed his caramel-tipped ears.

"Don't worry, Konoe, I'll take good care of you, I'll make sure nothing bad ever happens to you. Just be calm and gentle now..."

With those words, he pressed the young cat down onto the bed. Konoe jerked out of the trance he'd been in and when he realized what was happening, he suddenly hissed.

"Let go of me, _get off!"_

His fighting spirit awoke once more and he lashed out one hand to claw at Rai's face, trying to shove the silver cat away.

"Konoe, stop or I'll make you!"

Again, the boy growled and buried his teeth in Rai's arm until hot blood started to trickle into his mouth. Breathing heavily, the silver cat lowered his head but Konoe bared his fangs and Rai needed all of his strenght to keep the younger man down.

"Hey, Konoe, stop it", he finally sighed with gentle voice. "Come on, stop fighting, I won't hurt you if you keep still."

Hazel eyes stared up at him, Konoe continued to resist against the hold of the silver cat.

_I don't believe you._

Struggling silently, he kicked one knee up but Rai moved out of the way before he could hit him. His strong arms pushed Konoe's wrists into the silky sheets until the younger cat was gasping for air, his body went slack and he couldn't fight anymore. Contently, Rai leaned down and kissed him, tounge brushing against Konoe's lips. But the boy turned away with tears of humiliation brimming in his eyes and sobbed quietly.

_I'm not crying, I've just gone insane..._

He felt Rai's body move against his own, felt warm lips slide over his neck and chest, felt slender hands caressing every inch of his skin. With every touch, Konoe felt like he would melt into the sheets, but when Rai's fingers brushed his inner thighs, he froze on the spot. A deep, smooth voice was ringing in his ears, talking to him, calming and hypnotizing him.

"You're so small, it surprises me everytime I look at you, but you're so full of power too... Keep still, okay? This won't hurt if you just surrender to me..."

Konoe wanted to say something, but all he could do was whimper quietly and bring one hand up to claw at Rai's shoulder. Then, suddenly, a sharp pain ripped through his whole body.

_Did he kill me?_

He tried to scream, but every single part of him was paralyzed. Rai kissed him, pushed his tounge past the younger cat's lips, shifted his weight slightly. The short movement sent Konoe groaning in horror, he pushed both hands against Rai's chest, but it was too late, he couldn't escape when the taller cat held him like this. Darkness took over his field of vision, unconsciousness seized him, something warm dripped down his legs. Blood? He didn't want to know. Rai was breathing heavily, running his hands through Konoe's hair.

"God, you're so tight... You feel amazing, Konoe", he groaned and buried his face in the younger cat's shoulder.

Konoe bit his lips until they bled, staring at the ceiling with a blank expression on his face.

_This is not real. This is just a stupid nightmare._

But the pain that shot through his body once again convinced him otherwise when Rai moved their hips together. Hot, shallow breaths hit Konoe's neck, made his fur stand on end and elicited a soft whine from his throat. He didn't know how long the pain had been lasting already, but then, Rai shuddered, his breath hitched and with an agitated growl, he sank his claws deep into Konoe's arms. For a moment, they stayed like this, then the silver cat pulled back and settled down next to Konoe, still breathing heavily. His hand came to rest on the trim waist of the younger man, gently rubbing circles into the tender skin while he nuzzled Konoe's ears and groomed them carefully.

"See, it's over now, kitten. The first time is the worst for you, I promise you'll feel better when we're doing it the next time", Rai whispered. "You're so pretty, I just want to keep you here in my arms forever so nobody else can look at you..."

He kept on talking quietly and somehow, his words soothed Konoe into a delirious state of exhaustion. Slowly closing his eyes, he felt Rai tighten his grip on him and with that, unconsciousness took over. This night, he only awoke once. The moon was covered by dark clouds, one of the windows had been opened slightly and cool air filled the room, Rai's arms were wrapped so tightly around Konoe that not even a sheet of paper would've fitted in between them. Staring at the sharp features of the sleeping white cat, Konoe yawned. He was so tired of all the hatred, the fighting, of all this pain, the new things and emotions he couldn't quite understand. And so, he drifted off to sleep again and didn't wake up anymore until Rai moved slightly in the morning.

"Konoe..."

The young cat growled, unwilling to open his eyes yet.

"Konoe."

Sighing softly, Konoe blinked.

"Konoe!"

This time, there was a sharp pain to his ear.

"Ah! What was that for?", he complained, lashing his tail angrily.

Rai huffed and got up, Konoe could hear the rustling of clothes.

"For not standing up immediately. If I wake you, I expect that you at least answer me. Understood?"

Konoe stared at the Captain for a moment, then he flattened his ears.

"Fine..."

Rai fixed the last part of his gear and walked towards the door, his thick, white tail swayed gently.

"There's hot water for you by the window. Wash yourself, get dressed and come on deck. I'll be awaiting you."

With those words, he left the cabin and Konoe snorted.

"Get on deck, get under deck, take off your clothes, get dressed, answer me, shut up and be my obedient slave for all eternity", he hissed and rolled over, sulking quietly.

Was this really the way he'd be treated like from now on? Was a Sanga nothing but a source of power and a plaything to satiate the Touga's lust? For a moment, Konoe considered just staying in bed as a childish act of resistance, but then he noticed that he was still naked. Curling his tail around himself, he lowered his ears and looked over to the window where a bucket sat, filled with steaming water. Had Rai opened the window? And who had fetched hot water for him? The thought of a sailor entering and seeing him sleep without any clothes on sent chills down his spine. But... would Rai even allow that? Slowly, Konoe tried to sit up, but a familiar, sharp pain that ripped through his abdomen and thighs made him fall back into the sheets. One of his hands shot down to touch the source of the pain and when he slid a fingertip over his skin, he felt something rough covering large parts of his legs, it even stuck to his tail. Rubbing a little bit harder, he felt the substance crumble slightly. A metallic scent started to fill the room and Konoe flinched. His body ran hot and cold at the same time.

_Dried blood...?_

Had Rai really been that careless? Was it because he'd struggled so much? Biting his lips, Konoe rolled over and tried to sit up again, but the pain was unbearable. Whimpering slightly, he closed his eyes and tried to take deep breaths. He had to calm down. But the burning ache didn't stop, no matter how often he changed his position and slowly, his vision started to blur. There were no clear outlinings anymore, the world turned upside down and Konoe screamed at the top of his lungs. He had the feeling he would fall any moment if only a single one of his claw was removed from the blanket beneath him. Instinctively, he grabbed it tighter and closed his eyes, hoping the feeling would subside.

"Konoe!"

The door burst open and Rai dashed inside with drawn sword, his blue eye flared up in anger. But when he saw Konoe's pained expression, he let go of the weapon and jumped towards the bed, grabbing the younger cat's upper arm.

"Konoe, what's wrong? Why did you scream?"

The muscles beneath his hand were tensed up so hard that Konoe was shaking from how forceful he held onto the sheets.

"Come on, Konoe, you have to let go-"

_"No!"_

The scream was louder than before and hazel eyes clenched shut even tighter.

"No, no, no, I... I'm going to fall!"

Rai stared at him in surprise, his mind was racing. What was happening? Was Konoe hallucinating?

"Listen, you're laying on the bed, there is no way you can fall", the white cat snarled impatiently, trying to remove Konoe's claws from the sheets again.

Translucent drops of sweat rolled down the younger cat's temples, soaking his hair and making it damp.

"Rai, I'm scared!", he whimpered instinctively, not really knowing what he'd just said. "I'm scared, I'm scared..."

The silver cat looked down at him thoughtfully and bit his lips, then he threw a short glance over at the door. It was closed. Good. _None_ of his men could ever see Konoe in such a vulnerable state. Sighing, he finally leaned forward and wrapped one arm around Konoe's waist.

"Calm down", he demanded gently. "Try to even out your breathing. Yes, like that. Do you feel this?"

He tightened his grip and Konoe nodded, still drenched in cold sweat.

"Good. I'm here, Konoe. I'm right next to you. Everything is okay. Try to open your eyes, but do it slowly. Good kitten. See? I won't let go of you. You're safe with me."

Blinking hesitantly, the smaller male looked up at Rai. His eyes were clouded and feverish, his body was burning up from within. Cursing, the silver cat pushed the back of his hand against Konoe's forehead, checking his temperature.

"You're sick... Shit, I didn't want to go that far... Shit, _shit!"_

He curled up around Konoe hectically, wrapped the younger cat up in his arms and buried his face in the silky hair of his Sanga. Konoe's uneven breathing made him flick his tail nervously, he had never dealt with something like this before.

 _Get yourself together, you're the goddamn Captain of the_ **_Revenge,_** _why are you flipping over something so trivial?,_ he snapped at himself, but even his inner voice sounded unsure.

The heat Konoe radiated gradually took over on Rai and the silver cat stared at the pained face of his Sanga. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know, _he didn't know..._

"Rai, there's a storm ahead, but if we alter course now, we'll leave the tide and-"

Noiz, who was standing in the doorway, stopped and raised one brow, his lime green eyes wandered over Konoe's exposed body.

"Oh. Sorry to interrupt. But still, what are we going to do? The crew is getting restless. Shall we haul in the sails?"

Rai lifted his upper body just enough to look directly at Noiz, then he bared his fangs and growled from the depths of his throat. The sound made the air shake and immediately, the young man stepped back, curling his tail mid-air.

"Get out", Rai snapped, enraged. "Get out, tell Koujaku he's in charge for now. I'll come out there soon."

Noiz flicked his ears understandingly and closed the door, dashing up the stairs as fast as possible to inform Koujaku. Rain soaked his fur and hair in a matter of seconds as he ran across the slippery deck and whistled. Koujaku turned around and when Noiz nodded at him, he sent two men towards the main mast.

"Haul in the sails and tie them as tight as possible, tell the others that I want Aoba and Sei on deck _immediately!_ Try to set the anchors, get moving!", he screamed against the wind.

"Aye, Sir!", a choir of voices yelled back and everyone started working feverishly.

Waves spilled over the railing and the water seemed to come from everywhere, leaving the sailors with dripping clothes. Noiz dug his claws into the mast he was working on, hands moving shakily to tie the knots harder, heavy rain poured into his face and blurred his sight. The hemp rope slid through his palm as he tugged at it, leaving raw, reddened skin, but he didn't even notice until suddenly, a hand grabbed his wrist.

"What are you doing, brat? You're going to freeze to death out here!", Koujakus voice snarled and suddenly, something was wrapped around his shoulders. "I told you so many times to dress properly even if you can't feel how cold it is!"

The cloak smelled invitingly like Koujaku, but Noiz growled and shoved it away, his pride refused to accept being patronized like that.

"I'm fine."

With those words, he climbed higher to secure the sail. Koujaku yelled something after him, but he didn't care anymore, all his attention was fixated on tying the knots.

_I don't need you._

Baring his teeth at the sharp wind, he clung tighter to the rigging. Another gust of wind tore at his clothes, it almost threw him down the mast and he clenched his jaw to endure it. When it was finally over, he heard someone yell and looked down on deck. Two slender figures stepped out of Sei's room, pitch black and sky blue hair was swaying in the storm as the Sangas climbed up to the ship's bow. Noiz exhaled in relief. If Aoba and Sei sang together, the storm would hopefully pass by them before it got too serious. Two sweet, beautiful voices began to fill the air around them and Noiz felt the wind subside slightly, the sea beneath the _Revenge_ got calmer. Slowly, he climbed back down and stepped onto the wooden planks, making sure he wouldn't slip on them. Koujaku sighed and ruffled his hair playfully, giving a gentle nip to Noiz' left ear.

"Idiot. Why do you always need to do things by yourself? And why didn't Rai come on deck, anyway? Did the kitten cause trouble?"

Scowling, the smaller cat threw a short look at the wing door that lead to the cabins.

"I have absolutely _no_ idea, but he seemed pretty sick when I opened the door. Rai just growled at me and told me to fuck off." Noiz chuckled. "Maybe he didn't take it too well yesterday night. Did you hear him scream?"

Koujaku smirked down at him and stepped closer, forcing Noiz to lean against the wooden mast behind him.

"No, I didn't. You know, your moans can be _pretty_ loud."

The younger cat grinned and his slender tail swished lewdly.

"Now who's the suggestive one here?", he teased.

The comment earned him another quick nip to his ear and a short rub against the base of his tail, then Koujaku pulled back. Noiz almost reached out one hand to keep him in place when he suddenly remembered that they were still out on deck. Not that he minded it much if the others stared at them, but he'd love to take things a little further than making out right now. Koujaku seemed to notice his dissatisfaction, turned around and lashed his black tail with a chuckle.

"Don't worry. Once we're done today, I sure as hell won't stop there. See you later, brat."

With those words he crossed the deck, throwing a short look at Aoba and Sei. The two of them were sitting by the bridge, occasionally renewing the magic of their song.

"If you need anything, let me or the boys know", he advised them and smiled when Aoba flicked his ears gratefully.

"Sure, we'll do that. For now, it's fine, but can we have something to eat later on?"

"Of course, I'll go and tell Clear, he should be preparing dinner right now anyway. What do you two want?"

Koujaku looked back over his shoulder, ready to go downstairs.

"Some sandwiches should be fine", Sei muttered gently and was answered with a nod.

"Right away, princess", Koujaku purred and went off with a smile.

Sei wasn't one for the hard life at sea, he usually stayed back at the mansion when the crew went out. He'd only agreed to come along this time because Aoba had been too exhausted to stay on the ship alone anymore. Now, with Sei on the _Revenge_ too, there was hardly any storm they couldn't resist. In contrast to his fragile appearance, he was a really powerful Sanga, the sailors had noticed early, but because he was really sensitive to any kind of stress, he had gotten a private room far away from the other cat's cabins because it could get really loud at night.

Speak of the devil...

When Koujaku passed the wing door, he smirked slightly. That disappointed look on Noiz' face was priceless, but he knew exactly that the younger cat enjoyed being toyed with. The short wait wouldn't kill him. Koujaku was in charge of the _Revenge_ and as much as he was tempted to slack off for a few hours and drag Noiz into his bedroom, he knew his responsibilities as the first mate. Stopping by the ship's galley, he opened the door and stepped inside.

"Hey, Clear!"

A beautiful albino cat who had been working by the stove spun around to look at him.

"Kooooujaku-san!"

He bounced at the taller man, purring excitedly and clutching Koujaku's scarred hand. Grinning, the blackhaired cat ruffled Clear's hair and gently pushed him away. Noiz would go crazy if he smelled another cat's scent on Koujaku.

"Can you get a few sandwichs ready for Aoba and Sei? They're by the bridge."

"Of course! I noticed how bad the storm was getting and prepared something for them already. Just gotta take the plate upstairs, can one of the guys get it?", Clear announced happily and pushed a plate full of sandwiches towards Koujaku.

The tall man laughed and petted Clear's fluffy ears, making the younger cat purr again.

"Sometimes it feels like you know everything before it even happens. Fine, I'll send Mizuki down here in a few minutes. Keep up the good work!"

With those words, he left the galley and looked down the hallway. His gaze fell upon the door to Rai's cabin and a strange feeling of worry seized him.

Should he ask if the Captain needed anything? He'd been in there for quite some time now and if it was true that Konoe had fallen sick, Rai was probably hesitant to leave him alone.

Making up his mind, he knocked quietly. Nobody answered, but that wasn't unusal, Rai often got lost in thought. But since that kitten was with him, something must've happened. Maybe Noiz had been right.

"Rai? It's me. Can I come in?", he called nervously.

No answer either.

"Rai? Come on, I'm worried. You've been in there all day, you haven't even talked to me once."

Silence. Koujaku bit his lips, then he opened the door. Maybe he'd get punished for simply entering the Captain's room, but that was worth knowing Rai was okay.

"Really, you should at least answer me if you're gonna stay in here all da-"

His voice cracked when he saw the two sleeping figures on the bed. The kitten was covered in a thin layer of sweat, wrapped up securely in Rai's arms and the silver cat, although sleeping, had placed one hand on his dagger. Koujaku didn't approach the bed any further, he just sighed and turned around. Yeah, the kitten was pretty with his silky hair, the big, hazel eyes and his smooth fur, but why was Rai so obsessed with him? Just because he was a Sanga? He hadn't even sung his first song yet! Well, Rai had always been mysterious, so why try to understand his decisions now? If he wanted this boy, Koujaku wouldn't oppose. Closing the door behind him, Koujaku walked back up the stairs. He'd get some fresh water, then he'd tell Clear to leave some dinner for the two of them and leave it be. Rai would notice that someone had been inside his room without permission, but Koujaku didn't mind right now. He'd take the punishment upon him if the Captain asked, anyway. As he stepped towards the door, something silky curled around his arm.

"I already sent Mizuki down to get Aoba's and Sei's food. Care to spend some time with me?"

Noiz was leaning against the wall, arms crossed on front of his chest, a suggestive smirk tugged at his lips. Koujaku had to hide his own grin as he gripped Noiz' tail roughly that was still brushing his wrist.

"If that's what my kitten wants."

A lewd moan spilled from the younger cat's throat and he placed his hand over Koujaku's, guiding it down to the base of his tail.

"Aye, Sir", he gasped with sparkling eyes and flicked his pierced ears.

Koujaku caught one of them between his lips and bit down hard, still carefull not to draw any blood. Claws dug through his shirt and into his chest, adding even more scars to the already existing ones.

"Right here", Noiz' trembling voice purred against Koujaku's neck. "Take me, right here, right now, I don't care if they see..."

His fingers tore at the taller cat's clothing, tried to pull it off of him. Chuckling breathlessly, Koujaku shoved him towards his room.

"Now now, let's not get too eager here, you're behaving worse than a kitten in his first heat! Here, let me..."

He opened the door and they stumbled inside, crashing onto the bed, their tails wrapped around eachother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> ...
> 
> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Okay I'm sorry.
> 
> ¯\\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯
> 
> Lyrics used: _The siren's song_ by Sarasinger (slightly changed)


	5. Chapter 5 or Waking the lion

_Put him in the bed with the Captain's daughter,_  
_Put him in the bed with the Captain's daughter_  
_Early in the morning!_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

_Ugh... My head hurts..._

Konoe brought one hand up to his temple instinctively and blinked until his eyes had adjusted to the bright morning light. The _Revenge_ was rocking gently, almost like it wanted to lull him back to sleep, but the warmth against his back woke him up fully.

"Rai?", he asked, voice heavy with something strange.

The silver cat shifted in response and licked a short trail over his neck.

"How are you feeling?", he shot back.

Konoe turned around and nodded, looking up at the tall man. His tail lashed down onto the bed repeatedly when he noticed that he was wearing a shirt that didn't belong to him. It wasn't one of his new ones either. It smelled like Rai so strongly that Konoe started to purr out of instinct.

"Why... why am I wearing your s-shirt?", he asked, embarrassment slowly made its way into his voice.

"You were having nightmares and I needed to calm you down somehow. Holding you wasn't an option, you were _burning up_ and I didn't want to add my body heat to yours, so I decided to give you something that held my scent", the white cat answered shortly.

Konoe blushed but he nodded, burying his nose in the soft fabric and taking a deep breath. Rai smiled for a second, then he turned around and sat up, stretching his muscular arms.

"Can you move?", he asked over his shoulder and Konoe remembered the pain from yesterday that probably caused his fever too.

Carefully trying to follow Rai, he noticed that only a dull throb in his abdomen was left.

"Yeah", he muttered, wanting to reach out for his own clothes that were still scattered on the floor, but a sudden touch to his thigh made him jolt and freeze.

Rai was staring at him with an unreadable expression, then he walked over to the sidetable where the bucket with hot water was sitting just like yesterday. Soaking a piece of cloth in it, he returned to Konoe and knelt down in front of the bed. Blushing, the younger cat averted his gaze.

"W-What are you doing?", he whispered angrily when Rai forced him to part his legs.

Completely unaffected by the whole situation, the silverhaired man ran the damp washcloth over Konoe's thighs, cleaning up the dried blood that was still smeared across the pale skin there.

"You better stop giving me this look or I'm not sure if I'll wait until you've recovered from your first time", Rai suddenly stated with casual voice and Konoe flinched back.

"What look?", he snapped irritatedly.

A piercing blue eyes stared up at him and made him feel even more exposed, so he flattened his ears and hissed quietly.

"See? You're doing it again. _This_ look. Really hard to resist."

With a sigh, Rai climbed to his feet and leaned down, burying one hand in Konoe's hair and jerking his head back. Their lips collided and this time, the younger cat took advantage of Rai's unguarded behaviour and sank his teeth into the Captain's lower lip. With a low growl from the both of them, the kiss deepened even more and Rai's tounge rubbed against Konoe's fangs, eliciting a soft moan from the smaller cat. What was happening to him? Suddenly, everything seemed so natural, like he'd been designed to fit against Rai's lean body. With a slow, almost hesitant motion, the silver cat pulled back and stared down at Konoe once more.

"I love the way you're never missing a chance to rebel against me", he breathed, grazing the swollen lips of his Sanga with one thumb. "It suits you well."

Konoe bared his fangs demonstratively and pushed Rai away from him to get up. Sliding on his clothes, he looked out of the window to check if it was raining or not, but only a few darker clouds were occasionally covering the moon of light. Rai had walked over to the door already, swaying his silver tail invitingly.

"Come on, let's get some fresh air and something to eat for you, it'll help to restore your strenght."

Following the Captain outside, Konoe inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of his fur being ruffled by the light breeze. Rai wandered off to talk to Mizuki for a moment and Konoe stepped towards the railing, looking down at the sea. For a while, everything was quiet, but suddenly, somewhere on the ship there was a yell and all cats on deck perked up their ears. Rai turned around in a swift motion, sending his hair fluttering in the warm wind. 

Two cats rounded the corner, dragging a third one along and Konoe felt his heart skip a beat when he saw who it was.

"Tokino!", he blurted out and dashed towards his best friend, but before he could reach him, Rai grabbed his wrist and jerked him back.

His blue eye was gleaming furiously, his claws dug into Konoe's skin with brute force and only then, Konoe understood what it meant to make this man angry.

"Is this your friend from Ransen?", he asked threateningly and Konoe swallowed.

There was no way to avoid this.

"I told him to come along!", he hissed and struggled against Rai's grip.

Tokino looked frightened, but pure determination was displayed on his beautiful face.

"It was my idea!", he snapped at Rai, even though the two cats behind him tightened their grip.

Drawing his sword and ramming it into the wooden planks beneath him, Rai turned towards Konoe and backhanded him harshly.

"You _planned_ this? Goddamnit, don't you lie to me!"

Konoe stumbled, his hand gripped the railing beside him, a pained moan escaped his throat. Rai's chest heaved as he shifted his attention back to Tokino again.

"Whose idea was this really?"

"Mine", the ginger declared immediately, growling at Rai before throwing Konoe a desperate look. "Konoe, are you okay?"

The younger cat gasped quietly, his cheek ached and so did his neck, it felt like his spine had snapped...

"No, he's just trying to protect me", he breathed. "It was my idea, I didn't want to leave him behind, he's like a brother to me!"

Rai grabbed him by the collar and tightened his grip until Konoe felt like his lungs would burst.

"I have no nerve to ask which one of you is lying right now. What did you even _think_ when you planned all this?"

The younger cat shoved him away and fell to his knees, coughing and clawing the floor beneath him until the white fog that covered his mind slowly started to lift.

"I... I have never seen you before back then!", he yelled desperately. "How was I supposed to know you wouldn't just leave me to your crew once you were done with me? I told Tokino to come along so we could start a new life somewhere else once you'd pushed me away!"

At this words, Rai calmed down remarkably. His tail slowed its constant swishing and his ears turned towards Konoe again.

"You thought I'd _push you away?",_ he asked quietly. "You thought I'd use you and throw you away like a cheap whore?"

Konoe lifted his chin and didn't answer. Maybe he'd been wrong, but there was still a chance Rai would do something similar now. Sighing, the silver cat shook his head.

"How did you plan to get away? There is no way to leave my island except for the ship."

Tokino bared his teeth.

"Once you're done with Konoe, we'll escape at another port and-"

A bright, metallic sound cut off his words and within a heartbeat, the sharp tip of Rai's sword was pointing at his throat.

"I won't let Konoe go, do you _understand?"_

Tokino held his breath and stared down at the silver blade that was trembling slightly in the bright moonlight, then Rai withdrew his sword and looked towards Koujaku.

"Get me two pieces of rope, the daughter and tie up this bastard here. I want Konoe to learn his damn lesson."

Staring at Rai with wide eyes, the younger cat tried to get back up, but his lungs were still aching.

"Aye, Sir", Koujaku muttered and disappeared under deck.

Again, Konoe clawed the railing in a desperate attempt to stop whatever was going on.

"No, no! What does that mean? Rai, don't! What are you going to do?", he gasped in shock.

The silver cat turned around and Konoe flinched back when he saw the expression on Rai's face. He'd never seen him so angry before, not even when he'd struggled against him before their first night together.

"You have no right to talk now, Konoe. You abused my trust in you when I said you could spend one last day ashore in which you brought _him",_ he stared at Tokino, "along and you offended me personally when you said you thought I would throw you away. Watch this closely, it will be a lesson for the both of you."

Koujaku returned and began to tie the rope around Tokino's wrists, then he pulled him towards a strange construction by the main mast that looked almost like a gallows. Konoe was shaking, he felt nauseous.

_Why did I tell him to come along oh God no I shouldn't have he's going to get punished and it's all my fault, my fault, my fault..._

Tokino was strapped to the wooden bar and forced to kneel down so his arms were held over his head. Desperate, blue eyes searched for Konoe who answered with a dry sob.

"Please, what are you doing? Don't hurt him, don't!"

Rai ignored his weak protests and walked past him, towards Koujaku who was holding out something. It looked like a whip, but with more strings than he'd ever seen and knots had been tied into every single string. Konoe gasped and wanted to bolt forward, but a strong arm wrapped around his middle. The tall, darkhaired cat behind him lowered his head and pulled him closer.

"Don't", Ren's deep voice muttered. "It's bad enough already, don't make it worse."

Gasping for air, Konoe continued to struggle.

"No, he can't hurt Tokino, he's done nothing wrong!"

Rai threw a short glance over his shoulder to make sure Konoe was watching, then he took the whip from Koujaku's hand. Dried blood stuck to its knots.

"Watch and learn, Konoe", were his last words that left his lips before he nodded at the first mate.

Koujaku leaned down and ripped Tokino's shirt in half, making the ginger cat gasp in fright.

"Konoe!", he cried out.

Again, his best friend struggled in Ren's hold.

"Tokino! No, don't, _don't!"_

The air was glowing around Rai's slender body as he lifted his arm and with a sharp hiss, the whip collided with Tokino's back.

The scream ripped Konoe in two.

"Stop, Rai! No, no, don't, _stop!"_

But the silver cat raised his arm mercilessly. Fresh blood was dripping onto the deck, another hiss, another impact, Tokino screamed again. Konoe felt like he would go insane.

"Rai! Rai, I beg you, stop!"

The man showed no sign of reacting, he just prepared for the next hit, his ice blue eye was gleaming so ferociously that even Koujaku stepped back. The whip collided with Tokino's already bloody back again and the teenager shuddered in his restraints, but he didn't scream anymore. At the next hit, his eyelids fluttered, he seemed to lose consciousness. Rai was breathing heavily by the time he lifted his hand for the fifth time.

"I hope you'll learn something from this", he growled at Konoe and with one last hit, Tokino went limp in his bonds.

Rai stepped back, dropped the bloody whip and turned around. Aoba, who was standing by Ren and Konoe's side, raised his tail questioningly, like he was asking for permission. The Captain nodded at him and Aoba fell to his knees next to Tokino, giving the wounds a quick once-over.

"Hm... This will be complicated...", he muttered unsurely. "Take him to my room, the song will take a while."

Ren slowly released Konoe from his grip and strode over, gently picking up Tokino's lifeless body. Aoba followed him downstairs and as much as Konoe wanted to follow them, he couldn't. Clutching the railing tightly, he tried to calm down, but his body was shaking and he could barely breathe anymore. Suddenly, something cool touched his cheek and when he looked up, Rai was standing next to him.

"He will survive it."

The words sounded hard and not at all reassuring, but Konoe didn't care. He shoved Rai's hand away and turned around, wrapping both arms around himself, his eyes were burning, but there were no tears.

"Konoe."

_Go away._

"Konoe, look at me."

_Never._

"You should've just trusted me."

_I will never trust you again, you bastard._

"Konoe!"

His arm was gripped and Rai turned him around forcefully, but there was no way he would let himself be touched by this man again. His claws left deep, bleeding imprints in Rai's cheek and for a second, they just stared at eachother, chests heaving equally.

 _"Don't_ touch me", Konoe hissed, baring his fangs at the taller cat. "Don't _ever_ touch me again."

With those words, he stumbled past Rai and under deck, following the disgusting scent of blood to one of the cabins. Not bothering to knock, he opened the door and barged in, making Aoba and Ren lift their heads in surprise. Tokino's eyes were closed, but his lips parted slightly when he noticed Konoe's presence.

"K-Konoe..."

His voice faded out into a pained groan and Aoba leaned over him, stroking his damp hair.

"Shhh, it's fine. He's here, but right now, you're more important", he muttered worriedly.

Ren sat by his side, ears twitching nervously.

"Rai has never whipped one of us personally", he muttered, fiddling with the sword by his side. "He's always left that to Virus."

Aoba shuddered, but didn't respond. Konoe sank down by the wall and watched with empty eyes as the bluehaired man relaxed and started to take deeper breaths. Then, a gentle hum filled the room and blue light slowly started to emit from Aoba's body, it was like he was glowing from within. Blue strings of light wrapped around Tokino's torso, covering the bloody wounds and making the ginger cat groan quietly, but this time in relief. Aoba began to spin words, but Konoe couldn't understand them, it was like he was singing in a completely other language. And so time passed by like an endless stream, the light that fell in through the window gradually faded until it was dark except for the soft glow that came from Aoba. Konoe attempted to get up a few times, but he couldn't find the strenght to do so. Ren was still sitting beside his Sanga, gently brushing one hand through his hair from time to time, almost like telling him that he was there.

 _Isn't this how it should be?,_ Konoe asked himself with an ironic grin. _Isn't this how a Touga is supposed to treat his Sanga?_

He began to laugh quietly. He laughed at himself, at his strange life, at his feelings, he even laughed at Rai. The laughter started deep in his belly, it filled his chest, bubbled on his tounge, finally shot through the air and bursted into the darkness of the room while at the same time, tears were forming in his eyes. Ren stared at him with astonished amber eyes, but he didn't say a word, just brushed his tail against Aoba's cheek for a second, then he got up and walked towards Konoe.

"I don't think you're feeling pretty well, today has taken its toll on you. Come now, I'll walk you to Rai's room", his deep voice cut through Konoe's giggles.

Without resisting much, the smaller cat let Ren guide him down the hallway and into the Captain's cabin. Rai, who was sitting by the desk, looked up and furrowed his brows when he saw that Konoe was shaking with tearful laughter.

"What happened to him?", he asked as he walked over and tried to grab the hand of his Sanga.

Ren shrugged calmly.

"I don't know, he just started laughing all of a sudden. Maybe he should get some rest."

The Captain sighed when Konoe avoided his touch and took a step back, tears were still dripping down his cheeks.

"Leave."

The darkhaired cat bowed slightly and left the room, closing the door behind him. Rai turned towards Konoe once more, approached him carefully.

"Konoe, you're tired and confused, I understand that. Lay down and sleep for a while, I won't touch you tonight, okay?"

With another laugh, the younger cat sat down on the bed, tore off his cloak and dropped it to the ground.

"Why should I trust you?"

His voice was trembling, his breathing ragged. Rai stepped forward, growling.

"Konoe, watch your words!"

But the silver cat didn't scare him anymore. If he killed him, it was fine. There was nothing worse than having to stay with this cat.

"I'm not afraid of you", he panted, ears flattening against his head. "You already took everything from me, my home, my freedom, my pride and my best friend is dying as we talk. I don't have anything to lose. Go on, rape me, kill me, _proceed with me as you like."_

His mocking tone made Rai want to rip his throat out here and there. What had gotten into Konoe?

"I swear, you better shut up now or you'll regret it", he hissed, but the smaller cat just sneered at him.

"Am I supposed to be scared now? I hate you."

Laughing dryly, he curled up on the bed, staring into nothing. For a while, they both remained like this, then Konoe moved his lips again. Rai flicked his ears, he could barely understand what his Sanga was saying, the only words he could catch were a delirious mess.

"... if I wasn't then like you care for me...", Konoe whispered into one of the pillows, sobbing quietly.

Was he... crying? Rai carefully leaned over him and saw silver tears dripping down Konoe's chin.

"Seriously, you're worse than a kid", the Captain sighed and settled down next to his Sanga, staring at the twitching, caramel-tipped ears.

_Tempting..._

Slowly, he slid his tounge over the sweaty fur of Konoe's ears, straightening it out. At first, the kitten tensed up, but soon, he melted into the gentle touch. The grooming seemed to calm them both down and Rai felt his eyelids grow heavy.

"It's not like I did it because I thought it was fun to torture your best friend in front of you", he whispered against Konoe's neck, already half asleep. "I'm just so scared you will turn to someone else..."

In the darkness, two hazel eyes opened slightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I'm sorry-
> 
> ...
> 
> No wait, actually I'm not. Why am I apologizing? Oh well I mean I'm sorry for Konoe and Tokino but not for writing this. Meh. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Lyrics used: _Drunken Sailor_ by Irish Rovers (for all ye landlubbers: the "Captain's daughter" was a nickname for the whip called Cat O' Ninetails because only the Captain was allowed to authorize its use. Cat O' Ninetails often not only consisted of knots tied into the strings but also tiny glass shards or even fishhooks which made the lashing even more painfull)


	6. Chapter 6 or Battle scars

_Come my love, be one with the sea_  
_Stay with me for eternity_  
_Drown their souls so mercilessly_  
_And leave the pain to me_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

_**Crash!** _

Rai bolted up, grabbed his sword and dagger from the ground and buckled his belt. Konoe felt the sudden shift of atmosphere, stirred, lifted his head to see what was going on.

"What's happening?", he asked sleepily, stumbling to his feet.

Outside, he heard cats yell and whistle as well as the sounds of weapons being drawn. Rai bared his fangs, already wide awake.

"Another ship has fired on us. Get moving, stay close to me, we'll have to fight. Can you handle a sword?"

Konoe had learned some tricks from Bardo when he was younger and he'd often had playfights with Tokino, so he nodded, trying to keep up with Rai. The silver cat opened a door along the way and grabbed something from inside. It was a sword, studded with various gems. Konoe had no time to admire it, Rai thrust the handle towards him and the younger cat grabbed it quickly. With that, the two of them dashed outside. Sharp wind whipped across the deck and made Konoe shudder, but he couldn't complain about being cold right now. Rai was running towards the bow of the _Revenge,_ cutting down various cats as he went. Every single one of his movements looked like a part of a performance, so smooth and graceful that Konoe almost forgot about the spraying blood and the horrified screams that echoed through the night. Suddenly, two dark shadows approached him and he brandished his sword quickly, the silver metal shone in the dim moonlight. Blocking the first hits, he jumped back and rounded the cats, ramming the blade into the shoulder of the taller man. A choked scream escaped the man, then he fell to his knees and Konoe used his chance. Shoving the other cat backwards, the enemy stumbled over his fallen mate and hit the floor with a dull crack. A puddle of blood formed beneath the man's head and Konoe stepped away with heaving chest.

"Rai!", he yelled, looking around for his Touga.

Shouldn't they stay together at all cost? Next to him, he saw Koujaku and Noiz fighting side by side, Aoba was singing for Ren a couple feet down the deck and Mizuki had started to cut down all the ropes that connected the _Revenge_ to the other ship. Suddenly, he spottet a flash of silver in the midsts of black hoods and swaying cloaks.

"Rai!"

He dashed towards the group of cats, but when he saw the expression on Rai's face, he lowered his tail and ears instinctively. Rai was...

_... smiling._

He was smiling like he'd gone crazy, his sword cut through flesh and bones with ease as he spun around, and the rows of enemies gradually started to thin out. Konoe watched in utter horror, his mind was racing. Did Rai really enjoy this? Was he having _fun?_ Desperation seized him when he saw that the silver cat was grinning widely. His body was covered in cuts and claw marks, but he continued to fight as if nothing had ever happened.

_Doesn't he feel the pain...?_

If this kept up, Rai would die without even noticing it! Konoe didn't want to look at this, not any longer. Wasn't it his duty as a Sanga to protect Rai, too? Suddenly, he remembered something.

_"Your voice is overflowing with power. You could talk my whole crew into walking the plank voluntarily."_

Taking a deep breath, Konoe clutched his sword tighter and closed his eyes, trying to calm down like Aoba had done it before he'd sung for Tokino. All sounds around him started to fade and he began to see colors behind his closed eyes.

_I may not be able to sing, but I can still use my voice. If it could convince a whole crew of grown men, then maybe it can convince Rai too._

Bittersweet emotions welled up inside of him, flooded his entire being, filled his whole body with power. There was his hatred towards Rai, his anger, his confusion about what to feel, unsureness, fear, but there was also tenderness, his worry for the silver cat and this mysterious shyness that sometimes overcame him when he looked at Rai. Inhaling deeply, he tried to push the bitter emotions away. He needed something stronger, something that would reach his Touga. If only he could put all his true feelings into his voice!

_But... what should I say? Should I just call his name? Would he listen?_

But he had no choice, he needed to do something and he needed to do it _now_ or Rai would be killed. Opening his mouth, he prepared to cry out for his Touga, when suddenly-

_Glowing._

He was... glowing.

His body was glowing and all the strings of light reached out to Rai, wrapped him in brightness and shielded him from the sword strokes that were raining down on him without cease. The smile faded from the silver cat's face, an astonished expression took over and he stared at Konoe.

The boy was singing.

A voiceless song wafted through the air and curled around his body, filling him with new energy and strenght. His blade began to shine, and when he raised it against the hostile cats, they backed away with wide eyes.

"He has a Sanga!", one of the screeched.

"I don't care, the Captain said he wants him dead!", another one yelled back and dashed forward.

Rai lashed out his hand, blocked the hit and rammed his dagger into the cat's chest. He looked almost spectral like this, Konoe noticed in awe and the light that emitted from his very core began to pulse.

_A tall, slender cat fought against a group of hostiles in the middle of the night, his silver hair was swaying behind him, a bright glow engulfed his whole body and his movements were so smooth and graceful that it almost looked like he was dancing, every hit from his sparkling sword caused one of the assailants to fall down dead..._

It was almost like an ancient legend sailors would tell eachother while sitting in a small, dimly lit bar, sipping grog and whisky. With the small difference that this was real. Rai looked like the knight in shining armour from all the fairytales Bardo had read to Konoe when he was little - strong, beautiful, courageous. Swishing his tail softly, Konoe closed his eyes. The white flame inside of him that fed the bright glow started to throb in synch with his heartbeat and for some reason, Rai's movements seemed to fall into a matching rhythm too. They were one entity, tied together by this strange bond that seemed to reach deeper than either of both would've dared to guess.

_You are so beautiful when you sing._

The words were like a whisper, they floated through the glowing connection between them, made the pulsing flame light up and Konoe turned his ears forward.

_Rai?_

He saw the corner of Rai's lips twitch slightly as he rammed his sword into the last man standing.

_Konoe?_

The jaw of the younger cat went slack and his hazel eyes widened, but then, suddenly, the connection broke in half. The glow disappeared, the flame died out, all strenght left Konoe's body. He stumbled, fell to his knees, dug his claws into the wooden planks beneath him and stared at his hands. They seemed to move before his eyes...

"Are you okay?"

Someone grabbed his shoulder and he looked up. When he was met with Rai's unmoving face, he smiled weakly and curled his tail.

"You're beautiful too when you fight", he whispered with fading voice and let darkness consume his exhausted mind.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Konoe woke up to the feeling of strong arms holding him tight. Someone seemed to carry him... Trying to open his heavy eyelids, he blinked at the person above him.

Rai.

Relieved, he let out a soft sigh and buried his face against the shoulder of his Touga. But... What was that scent? Had Rai's scent changed? He'd smelled normal a few hours ago... Taking another breath, Konoe furrowed his brows. This was odd...

"You noticed it too?"

The sudden question startled him and he looked up at his Touga again. Rai wore a difficult expression, his eye remained fixed on a point ahead of them like he was avoiding Konoe's glare.

"... too?", he muttered confusedly.

"Your scent has changed", Rai answered briskly.

His own scent had changed as well? Was it because he'd sung for Rai today?

"Where are we going?", Konoe asked weakly.

The silver cat flicked his soft ears as he walked down a hallway.

"To our room. You blacked out just minutes ago, you need to lay down."

His usually calm voice had a somewhat excited tone to it. Not wanting to think about it now, Konoe reached up one hand to Rai's cheek where he'd clawed him earlier.

"You're hurt", he whispered.

The taller man still smelled heavily like fresh, warm blood, but he didn't even seem to notice.

"Was that why you started singing?", he asked suddenly. "Because I was injured?"

Konoe bit his lips and waited until Rai had opened a door and placed him down on the large four-poster bed, then he rolled over and looked up at the silverhaired cat.

"No."

Telling lies now was senseless anyway. Rai watched him quietly for some time, then he nodded and turned around.

"We'll talk when I'm back, I have to take care of my crew. Try not to fall asleep and keep your sword close, there might be cats sneaking around under deck. I'll try to return soon."

With those words, he left the cabin and Konoe stared after him, extending his claws angrily. Sure, Rai was the Captain, but he was sick of being left here with the words _Stay here and wait for me_ or _I'll come back soon._ He wasn't a slave whose only wish was for his master to return! But before he could get even more angry, he noticed something.

_The bed too...?_

Sucking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Yes, even Rai's scent on the bed had changed.

God, this smelled so _delicious..._

Konoe buried his hands in one of the blankets, he didn't know what to do with them all of a sudden. Where was he supposed to put them? Nothing felt right. Growling in irritation, Konoe closed his eyes.

 _What is wrong with me?_

Heat started to fill his body, sweat dripped down his temple and back. He wanted to shed all of his clothing at once, but at the same time, he was shaking, craving the familiar warmth against his body he'd woken up to almost everyday on the ship now. Rai's kiss in the morning came to his mind and he whined softly at the thought. It had felt so good...

"My my, who left his kitten behind here? And look at that, he's so badly in heat too..."

"Poor little guy. Did your mean mate just leave you alone?"

Two rough voices echoed through the room and Konoe bolted up. He hadn't heard the door open at all! Reaching out for the sword Rai left with him, he curled his fingers around its hilt, but there was no strenght left in his body. A dark chuckle answered his desperate attempt to grab the weapon again.

"But he still got the guts to try. I like that, he's going to be fun. Come here, kitten."

Someone tried to grab his arm, but he shifted on the bed so the man couldn't reach him anymore. Panic welled up in him, but he didn't surrender to it. He _couldn't_ surrender. Hissing at the two bulky cats, he flattened his ears.

"Cute!", one of them whispered excitedly. "See the crook in his tail? It's so cute!"

Another hand reached out to him, clutched his tail roughly. Konoe growled in pain, but then he leaned forward and sunk his teeth into the man's arm. With a stifled curse, the cat jumped back and bared his fangs angrily.

"Shit! The little beast bit me!"

The other man laughed at him and started to drag Konoe off of the bed.

"You're being too eager with him. He needs some time alone with our quartermaster so he learns that biting isn't nice. I'm sure, the Captain would approve with me."

Konoe felt like he would drown any second if this man didn't let go of him. His touch wasn't right, it wasn't right at all...

"Rai!", he yelled at the top of his lungs, struggling against the grip of the taller cat. "Rai, where are you?"

Clawing the man's arm, chest and cheek, he tried to free himself again, but a brutal hit to his face made him bite back all resistance.

"You goddamn brat! Just wait, we're going to teach you a good les-"

He couldn't even finish his sentence. Konoe stared at the upper body of the cat in shock, his eyes followed the silver line of a sword that had been thrust into his assailant's heart.

"Hands off of my Sanga", a deep, enraged voice growled and with that, the second man fell to the ground too, blood gushed from where Rai's dagger had pierced his throat.

Konoe was gasping as he dashed towards the silver cat, flying into his embrace and burying his face in Rai's chest.

"Konoe, I told you to be careful!"

The words didn't sound like Rai was truly angry at him, they held more of a worried undertone.

"I... I know, but I feel so strange and when I tried to fight them off, I couldn't really breathe anymore and it felt so _wrong_ to be touched by them because I want _you...",_ Konoe muttered desperately, digging his claws into Rai's black coat, not realizing what he'd just said.

The whitehaired cat stared down at him in shock, his grip loosened slightly.

_What?_

"What are you saying? What's going on?", he demanded coldly.

Konoe lifted his head, staring at Rai with dazed eyes.

"I... I don't know!", he mewled quietly.

For a second, the air seemed to freeze between them, then Rai pulled back and pushed Konoe towards the Captain's cabin.

"What happens now is your fault", he growled, but to the younger cat, it sounded more like a promise than a threat.

The door was slammed shut behind them and with quick movements, Rai started to undress Konoe. More and more delicate, pale skin was exposed, begging to be touched, and he couldn't resist any longer. Konoe moaned when he felt Rai's hands all over him, arched his back into the silver cat's touch and clawed the long, silky strands of hair that slid down over the shoulders of his Touga, but Rai didn't seem to care. His fingertips brushed Konoe's abdomen, his hips, his thighs, slowly but surely driving the younger man insane.

"Rai!", he gasped out, desperately pressing his lips onto Rai's and opening his mouth.

A slender tounge brushed against his fangs, wrapped around his own and elicited another moan from him. Suddenly, he was pushed down on the bed and Rai moved to kneel between his legs, their hips pressed together for a moment.

"This is your fault", he repeated breathlessly. "You're so damn beautiful, you taste so good..."

Konoe wrapped both arms around his neck, desperate to hold onto something. Why had he even resisted the first time Rai had slept with him? Suddenly, a firm hand wrapped around his cock and his whole body jolted. It felt like electricity running through him, a hollow pleasure that pooled into his hips and left him breathless. Rai was staring down at him with an unreadable expression, the ice blue color of his eye had changed to a shady purple.

"You look so pretty with that slight blush on your cheeks", he muttered before tracing Konoe's collarbone with his tounge, making the younger cat shudder again.

"A-ahh... Nn... Rai..."

His claws dug into the man's shoulder leaving behind bloody marks, but neither of them seemed to mind much. Instead, Rai moved his other hand to Konoe's tail, stroking it at the base and nipping at the tip that twitched slightly. Sweaty hands clawed at his dark shirt, tried to push the fabric out of the way. Konoe had never felt the urge to touch someone so intensely, usually he kept his distance from other people. But this... was different. His body craved the touch of this man like it had never craved something before. He needed to feel those strong hands all over him, he _wanted_ Rai to touch him more. A low, wanton moan escaped his throat and reverberated in the large room.

"Please... Please, Rai!", he whined, not knowing what exactly he was asking for.

His body was shaking, trembling, he couldn't keep himself together. Rai pulled his own shirt over his head and threw it to the floor, immediately diving in to kiss Konoe again. Their tounges moved in synch, wrapped around eachother as tightly as possible. Konoe felt like he was in a trance, everything around them blurred and when his eyes finally focused again, all remaining clothes had melted from their skin - or so it seemed. Their bare chests were pressed together and when the hand around his dick moved slightly, his body reared up against Rai. They broke apart and the silver cat stared down at him, breathing heavily. Konoe squirmed and his hips bucked up against the ones of the taller man.

"S-Stop teasing me!", he hissed, voice cracking, but Rai only let out what sounded like a growl mixed with a purr.

"Slowly, okay? It won't do any good if you come too fast", he whispered, tounge tracing Konoe's slender neck.

The younger cat whined in desperation. He felt so unbearably hot, he'd never felt like this before. Sweat soaked the bedsheets underneath him, his hazel eyes were narrowed with frustration and lust. Rai slowly moved his hand again, grazing the base of Konoe's tail with his fingers. Whimpering quietly, the younger cat closed his eyes.

He couldn't take it any longer. His mind finally gave in to his animalistic instincts, calling out for his partner, his _mate_ to release him, to ease the need that made him shake so violently. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he clenched his jaw, burying his face in Rai's shoulder. The silver cat growled quietly before he kissed a hot trail down Konoe's chest. The boy was breathing heavily by now, his sweet scent wafted through the room and Rai shuddered while he took a deep breath.

"Konoe, I swear to God, you're driving me insane!", he groaned desperately.

His instincts took over, everything in his mind focussed on possessing and marking the smaller male as _his_ and _only_ his.

"Rai!", Konoe mewled, leaning up and clawing the silver hair of his Touga.

Konoe wanted him, Konoe called for him. His hand slid over the thigh of his mate, fingers slick with sweat. Breathing seemed far too hard as he lifted his gaze and watched Konoe. The cheeks of the younger man were flushed, his hair was damp and sticked to his neck and face, his swollen lips were parted slightly, his chest was heaving.

"I... I s-said... stop teasing- ... me! Ngh..."

His voice cracked again, sweat dripped down his neck. Rai's own arousal was undeniable by now but he wasn't able to take his hands off of Konoe. The skin of the Sanga was pale and smooth and delicious as he ran his tounge down his body, brushing every single sensitive spot on his way. The younger male cried out in pleasure as Rai released his tail and pushed one finger into him instead. The feeling was foreign, but it sent shockwaves of lust down his spine. Instantly, his body relaxed, allowing Rai to insert two fingers at once.

"Ahh... Ah! Rai, w-what are you- _God..."_

Konoe's voice turned into a bright moan as he clawed his Touga's arms. Rai was, by all means, no virgin and several of his partners had been at the peak of their heat just like Konoe was right now, but never ever had anyone accepted him so willingly. He lowered his head and greedily licked over that one spot on Konoe's neck where he felt his pulse throb.

"Will y-you finally stop t-teasing me?", the younger cat suddenly yelled, frustration seeping from his already strained voice. "I... I can take more, this isn't enough! I want..."

Rai shut him up with a quick kiss, then he forced Konoe to spread his legs further, giving himself more room. Desperation, need and arousal mixed in the scent of his Sanga.

Konoe didn't know whether he just wanted Rai to finally take him or if he wanted to hide in shame because _damn,_ he was so hard against the hot body of the silver cat. Suddenly, Rai's hips were pressed flush against his own and both of them let out a low moan. Konoe gasped desperately and his hands clawed the bedsheets beneath them as Rai pushed into him. Every few second, the white cat stopped to check if Konoe was alright. His mind was dazed by this delicious scent, but he didn't want to hurt Konoe.

_Not this time._

Konoe whined at the foreign feeling, closing his eyes in expectation of the pain. But all he felt as Rai pushed deeper into him was lust. He hadn't known that being subjected to someone could feel so good. When Rai slowly moved his hips, Konoe writhed in pleasure and let out such a shameless keen that the silver cat couldn't help but dig his claws into the thighs of the younger male. It was hard to focus on anything while Konoe's beautiful voice echoed in Rai's head.

He swore to God, he was losing his fucking mind.

Everything blurred in front of him except for the face of his Sanga and he bent down until their lips met. Konoe's hands curled into the bedsheets as he let out a sharp cry and arched his back. Rai's eye darkened even more at the sound and his thrusts became more shallow. Konoe felt like he was on fire, like every vein in his body would explode with pleasure. His climax grew closer and closer when Rai suddenly hit something deep inside him. His whole body jolted, shivered and he gasped, eyes wide open. He'd never felt something like this before. Hot pleasure was raging through his blood, his fingers dug into the smooth skin of Rai's back.

"T-There! Again, please, do it _again!"_

His voice was near to hysteria while he lifted his hips to meet Rai's thrusts. That was it. The melting point. It pushed Rai over the edge with Konoe following suit. Hot, purple splotches exploded in front of their eyes and the younger cat let out a desperate whine as Rai filled him up. The white cat bared his sharp fangs and let out a sound that was something between a growl and a moan, satisfied and possessive at the same time, before he leaned down and licked a short trail over Konoe's cheek.

"You're mine. Forever. I can't ever let you go again."

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Konoe was curled up on the floor next to Tokino's bed, happily swishing his tail.

"And you really hid there for three days?", he giggled.

The ginger cat nodded, grimacing slightly. His upper body was still covered in bandages, but they weren't soaked through with blood anymore.

"Yeah, it was cramped and all but hey, if it meant I could be with you, I would've done everything", he purred and Konoe leaned up, pushing his forehead against Tokino's shoulder.

They stayed like this for a moment, then the smaller cat sank back to the floor.

"I'm happy you're here. Rai says, you can work on the ship once you've recovered and when we reach the island, you're allowed to live in the house too."

Tokino frowned and reached out one hand, gently stroking Konoe's caramel-tipped ears.

"And you two are... together?", he asked cautiously, unsure if that was the right word for it.

A slight blush crept onto Konoe's face and he turned away when he remembered the two nights that had passed since the assault. Rai hadn't let him sleep much, his hunger was insatiable sometimes.

"I... I don't think it can be seen that way. I'm just his Sanga, that's all", he muttered, drawing his claws and digging them into the wooden frame of Tokino's bed.

The redhaired cat sat up straight, his sky-blue eyes widened worriedly.

"Konoe, are you saying you don't want all this?"

Flicking his ears in a questioning manner, Konoe looked at his best friend. Why was Tokino so agitated all of a sudden?

"Well, I've never agreed to go with him in the first place", he sighed. "But it's fine, I guess..."

A slender hand grabbed his wrist and again, he wondered what had gotten into Tokino.

"Is he hurting you?", the taller cat asked seriously. "Konoe, tell me the truth!"

Gently prying his friend's hand off, the young Sanga giggled.

"Tokino, stop worrying, it's not like Rai whips me everyday! All he does is training me and I'm exhausted sometimes, but that's it."

Tokino almost seemed to sulk as he turned to the side and flattened both ears, his pale, chapped lips moved and Konoe leaned forward.

"What?", he asked curiously.

Looking back at him, a bright pink blush covered Tokino's cheeks.

"I said, I can hear you at night!"

For a second, the room was dead silent, then Konoe finally managed to close his mouth.

Tokino... knew?!

_God, this is so embarassing!_

Burying his face in both hands, he lashed his tail nervously. How much had he heard until now? Everything? Remembering last night, he felt a hot shiver run down his back that made his tail fluff out. Rai hadn't grown tired of him until the early hours of morning when a cool breeze had chilled their heated skin, whispering things that made Konoe's fur stand on end even if he only thought about them.

"Don't get me wrong, if you... I mean, if you agreed to this, I'm happy for you, but..." Tokino sounded just as uneasy as Konoe felt. "If he ever hurts you... Just know that I'll still be waiting."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be the last chapter in a while, I'm going through a pretty rough break-up phase and my depression is reaching its peaks again, so forgive me if I forget to update a few times.  
> Kudos,  
> Icy  
> (◕‿◕✿)


	7. Chapter 7 or Welcome home

_Sailors live so restlessly,_   
_Come with me, rest peacefully._   
_Listen to your beloved's song,_   
_Worry not for nothing's wrong._

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Asato was laying face down in the warm grass, his blue eyes fixed intensely on the small haven down by the shore. Slowly, a black ship came into sight and he heard the sailors yell and whistle, even from here. His ears twitched disapprovingly, he scowled. The moon of light was at its highest, an unbearable heat crept upon his dark skin and fur. As long as the white cat was at sea with his crew, he and Daichi could move freely over the island, but now, they would have to hide again. They would be hungry, too. There was no way he could hunt while the white cat was here, all deer were living in the valleys and it was rare to see one of them in the mountains. Suddenly, small hand was placed on his strong shoulder and a warm body pressed against his side, taking his mind off of all the worries.

_Daichi._

His sweet little Daichi. Asato turned around, wrapped both arms around the cat and held him tight. He'd been living on this island for as long as he could think and one day, this white cat had simply taken it away from him. He'd tried to kill Asato, too, he'd hunted him for weeks with frightening determination. But no matter how alife he looked on the outside, Asato knew better. This man was dead inside. Sometimes, when the sky was dark and the sea rough, the white cat was standing on the veranda of his house, just staring at the waves for hours. Daichi had it seen too one time and he had shuddered.

 _"He leads his crew, he rules his ship, but he doesn't want to live anymore. Nobody is important to him",_ he'd told Asato afterwards.

Yes, this man had nothing to live for. Asato hadn't had either, he'd only fought for his life out of instinct, but then, one day, he'd found Daichi by the shore, wounded, abused and starving. The white cat had taken him away from his hometown and family and horrible things had happened to him on the way here. But he'd escaped. And since then, he had been living with Asato.

A strong but gentle hand slipped under Daichi's loose shirt, pushing it up and over his head. They rolled over in the shadow of a big palmtree and the blond cat giggled.

"Asato... stop!"

The grass felt soft and warm against his back, so he closed his eyes and enjoyed the innocent caresses of the taller man above him. Yes, he could trust Asato. Asato was good. Not like the white cat. Tender blue eyes looked down at him, there was no lust or passion behind their actions, only love deeper than the sea itself.

"I will protect you", Asato whispered, promising the same words he always promised when the ship returned. "I will not let anyone touch you."

Daichi nodded, his lips curved into a beautiful smile that lit up his whole face.

"Yes", he answered with all the trust he could muster.

Asato was calm, gentle, but he was also strong and a good fighter. For Daichi, he would kill, the smaller cat knew that. Once, a man from the ship had caught Daichi playing by the shore and he'd hunted him deep into the woods, wounding him with his sword. Shuddering, the blond cat remembered how his clothes had been torn off, he remembered disgusting kisses all over his body where Asato was touching him now. And it had been Asato too who'd killed the man before anything else could happen. Oh, his blue eyes had been _burning_ with bloodlust that day! Yes, those strong hands could kill effortlessly, Daichi knew that.

But right now, they were stroking him lovingly, reminding him of how good this moment was. Opening his eyes and smiling up at Asato, the young cat reached out both arms to wrap them around his lover's neck. They shared a few gentle kisses, trying to enjoy the moment for a little while longer.

"You're so beautiful...", a deep, passionate voice whispered against Daichi's ears. "I'll be careful, I won't hurt you..."

The petite cat gasped out in pleasure when Asato gently parted his legs and pressed up against him, their eyes were dazed with joy. The touches were almost playful, light-hearted and careless like the ones of children, unbothered by any dark emotions.

"Mnn... Asato..."

Daichi's voice came out far louder than intended, but there was nobody else but his lover to hear it. The pain was short and sweet when Asato entered him, stroking his hips to distract him. Daichi flicked his tail, wrapped it around Asato's thigh and curved his back. He'd learned this quickly.

"You taste so sweet!", the blackhaired cat muttered against his cheek, kissed it and licked a hot trail down Daichi's slender throat.

Sweat dripped down their connected bodies as they moved, completing eachother like pieces of a puzzle.

"Come... inside me!", the smaller cat gasped passionately when he felt Asato starting to move away and held him closer.

His words rang over the cliff and went astray, carried away by the warm wind. They reached the familiar, delirious high together, crying out as one before sinking back down into the grass next to eachother, breathing heavily in delight and relief. Asato rested his head on Daichi's chest and closed his eyes, enjoying the light breeze that dried the sweat off of their skin.

"I love you", the smaller cat muttered, kissing his black, soft ears before wrapping both arms around Asato and drifting off to sleep too.

Nobody would find them here.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Rai watched with crossed arms and an amused smile as Konoe stepped down the gangway and looked around the haven in awe.

"Is this... is this really all yours?", he asked excitedly. "It's beautiful!"

The silver cat swayed his fluffy tail, a low purr emitted from his throat.

"I told you that you'll like it."

With those words, he turned to watch his crew. The men had already begun to take chests full of stolen goods down to the pier while Tokino and Aoba started to saddle the horses that awaited them by the shore.

"Who cares for them while you're at sea?", Konoe asked curiously.

Rai followed his gaze and shrugged, his white ears twitched.

"Nobody, they care for themselves. There are no predators here that would be dangerous enough to kill or even attack a horse. Except for me. But my favourite prey is small, has a ferocious temper and comes with a beautiful crooked tail."

A smug grin flashed across his face and before Konoe could even blush or throw a stern glare at Rai, he was pulled in for a passionate kiss. Sharp fangs nipped at his lips, urging him to part them, but Konoe pushed Rai away using both hands and turned to the side with heaving chest.

"Not here, you idiot!", he hissed and slipped out of the silver cat's grip, leaving the pier to join Tokino and Aoba.

While the other sailors just grinned at their interactions, Rai watched his Sanga with glistening eyes, his tail curled slightly. Despite being so small, Konoe was determined to hold his ground against him, only backing down from a fight when-

Oh well.

He _never_ backed down from a fight. But Rai loved to see those hazel eyes flare up with passion, whether it was during a battle or late at night when nothing existed but the two of them.

"We're done with unloading, Rai!", a deep voice called from above him and he looked up at Koujaku.

"Good! Come down here, make sure both anchors are set and the sails are folded in the right way and then you and the boys can catch up to us", he answered and stepped down the wooden stairs.

Loose white sand crunched quietly beneath his boots as he walked over to Aoba, Tokino and Konoe. One of the horses, a tall, dark brown mare, neighed softly and trotted over to him, rubbing her nose against his shoulder. Rai petted her neck and watched as one of the stallions nervously rose to his hind legs, snorting and shaking his mane. Tokino reached out to grab his reigns and whispered something before gently stroking the horse. Immediately, the stallion calmed down and Rai curved one eyebrow.

"You like horses?"

Tokino spun around, blushing slightly. Rai had been surprisingly nice to him since the day he'd beaten him in front of Konoe.

"I'm good at handling them", he muttered evasively

"That still doesn't answer my question, ginger."

Konoe gently pushed his forehead against Tokino's shoulder, making Rai seeth with jealousy, but he didn't want to act stupid in front of his crew. After all, this was just Konoe's best friend.

"Tokino loves horses!", the young cat explained finally when Tokino refused to look at Rai anymore. "He's always cared for his father's horses, he even teached them tricks!"

"Konoe!"

Embarrassedly, the taller cat lowered his head even further. Rai threw him a thoughtfull glare, then he nodded and grabbed the reigns of his mare.

"You can work in the stables from now on, the horses are all yours."

At those words, Tokino's face lit up so brightly that Konoe giggled.

"Really? Thank you so much!", the redhaired cat gasped breathlessly.

Rai just shook his head with a sigh and mounted the tall, brown horse next to him.

"You're welcome. Come, Konoe."

Staring at his outheld hand, the young cat flattened his ears suspiciously.

"What? Can't I ride by myself?", he complained. "I'm _not_ a kitten anymore!"

Furrowing his brows, the silver cat tugged at the reigns and the mare stopped her restless shifting. Even though she recognized him, it always took some time for her to get used to the saddle again after all the months.

"Yes, you are. If you weren't, you wouldn't behave so childish and just join me. And besides, the horses here all belong to my boys. Ginger, Mizuki will take you with him. Until then, wait here. And _you,"_ he turned to Konoe again, "get up here."

Grumbling, the younger cat took Rai's outheld hand and climbed into the saddle too. Clicking his tounge, the Captain led the mare down to the small path that disappeared somewhere between the palm trees and all of a sudden, the horse seemed to burst with energy, throwing her head back and dashing down the narrow trail. Konoe leaned forward slightly, buried his hands in her mane and enjoyed the cool breeze that ruffled his hair. Rai's warm chest was pressed against his back, his arms were wrapped around him securely and not for one second he feared falling. Konoe didn't know how long the ride had lasted already when suddenly, the trees started to thin out and Rai tightened the reigns. In a calm trot, they reached a clearing and Konoe held his breath.

There, in front of them, was a giant house. It was facing the sea, a small path covered on flowers had been laid out from the veranda to the beach. The walls were made of white stone, the roof was flaming red, beautiful carved doors and glass windows covered the façade. Rai smiled down at Konoe and gently touched his ears.

"What do you say?"

For a second, the young cat was speechless, then he exhaled shakily.

"Rai... It's so... it's so beautiful!"

The taller man chuckled and jumped to the ground, reaching out both hands towards Konoe.

"Come on, I'll catch you", he promised.

With a quick motion, Konoe landed in his arms and Rai carried him over to the large front door, opening it for the both of them.

"Welcome home, Konoe", he whispered as he stepped into the foyer.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Warm morning air made the curtains by the large window rustle slightly. Rai slowly opened his eye and looked up at the white canopy above him, furrowing his brows for a moment until he remembered that he wasn't on his ship anymore. He was back in his bed on the island, he was home. Stretching his muscles with relish, Rai suddenly noticed the gentle sounds of someone breathing right next to him. His first reaction was to grab the dagger that was always strapped to his left thigh, but then, he stopped.

_Konoe._

For the last ten years, he'd always slept alone in this bed with nobody by his side. But now, there was this beautiful kitten, curled up against his body with his crooked tail possessively wrapped around Rai's hips like he feared the silver cat would leave at night. Running one hand through Konoe's hair, the tall man shifted slightly.

"Good morning, kitten", he muttered and licked a hot trail over one of the caramel-tipped ears.

Konoe blinked, opened his beautiful eyes and yawned sleepily.

"Morning, Rai."

Not able to resist, the silverhaired cat leaned down and kissed him hungrily, devouring his lips and tounge before moving further to scatter light kisses and nips over Konoe's chest. A slender hand began to stroke his long hair, smoothing down every strand very carefully.

"Your hair is so beautiful", he heard a soft whisper and then, hesitant fingertips brushing his uncovered back.

Holding his breath, Rai glanced up at Konoe, - it was rare that the younger cat touched him of his own accord. But now, the Sanga lifted his other hand and placed it on Rai's warm chest, stroking the smooth skin there. Desire welled up in the silver cat and he threw the covers to the side, giving them more room to move before gently pressing his fingertips into Konoe's hips and kneeling down on the large bed.

"A new life for you", his deep voice purred. "Do you like it?"

Konoe looked up at him with a complex expression, obviously not knowing how to answer.

"It's... it's okay", he finally muttered and turned his head to the side. "Once you've grown tired of me, I can-"

Warm lips touched his cheek, his neck and finally his throat.

"Grown tired? What makes you think that? Does it feel like I've _grown tired_ of you?", Rai murmured. "I could stare at you all day and I wouldn't get bored. Everytime I touch you, you show me a complete different side of yourself."

Konoe buried his claws in the sheets beneath him and sighed, moving away from Rai. Watching his Sanga in disappointment, the silver cat reached out one hand.

"Konoe-"

"What if it doesn't stay like this?", a strained voice cut him off. "What if one day there is nothing to discover about me anymore? What if I bore you? Then you will find someone else who pleases you. You will send me away and I'll be hurt and all just because... because..."

His breath hitched, he trembled. Rai stared at Konoe for a second, then he spooned up behind him and wrapped his white tail around them.

"Because what?", he asked gently.

Silence.

"Because... because you matter to me!"

The words were spat out hastily, then Konoe curled up into himself, not moving anymore. Rai felt paralyzed.

_You matter to me._

"The other day... when that ship attacked us and you ran off to fight... I followed you and you were there in the midst of other cats and you _smiled_ and you were bleeding, there was so much blood on you and I got _scared,_ I didn't want you to die so I wanted to call out to you but instead, I somehow managed to sing and since then I've always felt so strange around you, you made me feel relaxed and tense at the same time and I... I..."

Konoe stopped, catched his breath and shut his eyes tightly. For what felt like an eternity, Rai didn't answer. Then, a strong hand slid down Konoe's side, over his slender body and pulled him closer, as close as possible.

"Even at that time... Even while I was going _crazy..._ Your voice reached me, Konoe. _Nothing_ has ever reached me before like this. You looked so stunningly beautiful as you stood there, glowing and singing and I knew you were singing for me. It felt right, Konoe. You're _my_ Sanga, and I'm your Touga. There is nobody else I could fight for. I want to fight for you. I will never want someone else."

The words were whispered right to him and a shudder ran down Konoe's spine.

_Rai..._

"Hm?"

A soft kiss was pressed to the sensitive spot right beneath his chin. Had he actually said the name out loud? He didn't know. Turning around so he could face Rai, both of his arms sneaked around the silver cat's neck.

"Rai", he whispered again, this time loud enough to be heard clearly.

Gentle hands were placed on his waist and pulled him closer, their bodies coiled around eachother possessively. Rai kept watching Konoe's face as his fingers trailed over the smaller cat's tail and up to the arched bow of his back. Sighing softly, Konoe closed his eyes and buried both hands in Rai's silver hair again, letting the strands slide through his fingers. They felt like cool, liquid metal.

"Mmn... Rai..."

One fingertip drew small patterns onto his smooth skin, right beneath his navel where a thin line of honey-coloured fur trailed down to his abdomen.

"What is it, kitten?"

The voice of the white cat rushed through him like electronic shockwaves and without thinking much, Konoe ran the back of his hand over the taller cat's cheek.

"I'm sorry for saying _I hate you_ back then. I don't hate you."

His words surprised Rai, but he wanted to think of other things right now. Like the incredibly soft fur of Konoe's tail and the smooth skin on his slender thighs. Gently pressing his lips against his Sanga's chest, he felt his heartbeat grow more erratic by the second. Suddenly, a hand touched the base of his tail and he shivered, looking down at Konoe with a questioning eye. The younger cat smiled nervously.

"It feels good when you do this to me, so I figured maybe you'd like it too. Besides, your tail is so beautiful and plush... Should I... stop?"

Rai smirked and lowered his head again, kissing Konoe deeply. His tounge forced itself into the hot cavern, exploring every corner of it until a stifled groan escaped Konoe's throat and the hand that was still stroking Rai's tail shook slightly.

"No", the silver cat finally breathed against parted lips. "It feels amazing."

Hot sparks were rushing up his spine and made every clear thought melt back into his hips, it was impossible to think straight with Konoe splayed out beneath him like this, touching him and looking at him with those big, hazel eyes.

"You're plotting something against me, aren't you?", Rai muttered, let one of his hands slide between Konoe's legs and stroked his hardening dick.

An obscene moan spilled from the young cat's lips and he writhed beneath Rai's lean body.

"W-What makes you think t-that?", he gasped sweetly.

Smirking, the tall man tightened his grip before grazing his claws along Konoe's shaft, careful not to hurt him.

"You only put on this look of complete innocence when you're about to do something bad", he whispered against the twitching ear of his Sanga. "Like the one time you almost threw me overboard because I kissed you in front of the others."

Suddenly, Konoe moved out of his hold, slid down on the bed and just when Rai wanted to scowl, he was answered with a silky, wet sensation all over his cock. A choked hiss escaped the silver cat's throat and his hand came down to claw at Konoe's hair instinctively, combing the loose bangs and stroking his ears while the younger man continued his sweet caresses.

"What do you even think you're doing?", Rai finally asked through gritted teeth as Konoe let his tounge slide around the hard shaft in front of him like he was eating a candy cane.

With an unsure flick of his tail, the teenager pulled back.

"Do you... not like it?", he asked nervously. "I... I know it's my first time doing this, b-but... I don't know what's gotten into me, I just-"

_... reacted by instinct._

Slender fingers massaged his scalp slightly, close to the base of his caramel-tipped ears, and he couldn't help but purr wantonly. Even in awkward moments like this, Rai made him feel so _good..._

"Kitten, that was not what I meant", a rough voice growled above him. "I know that it's your first time and I just wanted to make sure you're not doing this because you feel pressured."

Shaking his head in determination, Konoe flicked his ears back and forth.

"I want to do it. For you", he insisted, placing both hands on Rai's slender, muscular thighs.

The fingers in his hair ceased their movement for a second, then they returned to gently but oh so arousingly scratch his ears.

"Go on then."

Konoe purred, a strained sound, but he leaned forward again and slowly wrapped his lips around Rai's shaft. Instead of testing how far he could go, he decided to take it easy and wrapped one hand around the base, where he couldn't reach with his mouth for now.

"Gh... Konoe, you don't-"

Tightening his jaw slightly to get the message across, Konoe growled deep in his throat, sending short vibrations down Rai's cock. The taller man had done this so many times to him while they'd been still at sea, he'd even lost count, and everytime he had felt so humiliated, so _exposed._ Now he finally had the chance to take revenge and he would use it well. The short, rough gasps and moans above him made his tail swish triumphantly while he dragged his tounge along the sensitive underside of Rai's shaft, gently sucking from time to time. The hand that was still resting atop of his head tensed, claws dug into honey-coloured hair.

"I swear, you're driving me crazy!", Rai muttered and his hips jolted slightly, making Konoe wince in surprise.

But he accepted the movement, relaxed his jaw and glared up at his Touga mischievously.

 _You'll have to get what you want,_ his eyes mocked, luring, tempting Rai into just grabbing those silky strands of hair and thrusting up into Konoe's mouth.

But instead, he pulled back and leaned down before the kitten could utter a single word of protest, sealing his lips with a long, fierce kiss. When they finally parted, Konoe looked almost like he was pouting, but Rai just smirked at him.

"We have all day, Konoe. Nobody expects us to do _anything._ We don't even have to leave this room."

A playful frown answered him.

"But what about the meals?"

Rai placed one palm against his chest, slowly curved three fingers and dragged his sharp claws down to Konoe's hipbones.

"I think, I'm going to skip starter and main course", he whispered into the younger cat's ear, following the red marks he'd left with his tounge, "and just begin with devouring my sweet dessert here."

Blushing furiously, Konoe tried to shove him away, but all strenght left his arms when two slender fingers pushed into him while Rai bit down, creating a bright red mark on the fair skin by his hips.

"Ahh~! S-Shit, Rai! Ngh... Ah!"

The sounds left his throat, trickled from his lips and filled the air around them with a strange, vibrant sensation while Rai lifted his gaze slightly and bared his fangs in amusement.

Indeed, his little Sanga was learning fast.

A week ago, he would've gotten himself quite a few scratches and a kick to the stomach if he'd tried to mark Konoe in such a way, but now, the young cat even arched his back to feel more while pushing back against his fingers at the same time.

"Is this your way of telling me to let you come or an invitation to take you?", Rai asked almost casually, dragging his claws against Konoe's inner walls.

"W-Why not both?", the teenager choked out between to whimpers and Rai smirked.

"Touché."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forced myself to continue this story, I'm working on the next chapter. Thank you all for being patient! (๑• 3 •๑) 


	8. Chapter 8 or The sea

_Look at the glass_  
_You can see that it is fell_  
_We wish the you would hurry up_  
_And strike, strike the bell_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"Damn it! Can't you just do what I want for _once?"_

Tokino peeked around the corner with twitching ears, curious to know who was yelling around at this time of the day. The moon of light had just risen and cast its warm rays over the island, making the ginger cat purr lowly. His blue eyes finally landed upon a tall man who was standing in the middle of a roundpen with his ears flattened frustratedly, watching a large, chestnut-colored horse that rose to its hind legs and snorted at him before it turned around and began to kick its hooves against the wooden wall.

_It's scared._

Carefully sneaking closer, Tokino watched the burgundy-haired cat who lifted his hand which held a long, loose lash.

"I said, move!"

He flicked it at the horse's flank, but the large animal panicked and began to charge around the fencing at an alarming speed. Until then, Tokino had quietly hidden behind a tree but now, he couldn't take it anymore. Dashing forward, he jumped over the roundpen's wall and raised both arms, making the horse stop abruptly. A hand grabbed his arm and jerked him back, his body was pressed up against the chest of the taller cat.

"What are you doing? Get out of here, she might hurt you!"

He was shoved towards the fence but started to struggle desperately.

"Just because you're scaring her! She's scared, that's why she won't listen to you!"

The burgundy-haired cat stopped in his tracks to open the lock by the gate.

"She isn't scared, she's unpredictable, stubborn and unwilling to accept that she needs to be trained, that's all. Now get out and stop messing with things that are not your business."

Opening the gate, he pushed Tokino outside and locked it from inside again, completely ignoring the fierce protest that came from the ginger cat.

"But don't you see how she turns her hind quarters to you and her head to the fence? She's scared!", he cried out desperately. "Don't hit her anymore, please! Let me try to get her moving!"

The burgundy-haired man turned around. His olive green eyes were cold as ice and his fangs showed slightly.

"Kitten, if you don't want another whipping, I suggest _you_ get moving now. Don't think you're something special because the Captain's Sanga is your friend. And besides... we are still allowed to punish _you_ by ourselves."

Lowering his head, Tokino tucked his ginger tail between his legs and walked off to the stables to groom and feed the other horses. Aoba had told him the names of a few stallions, the mares didn't have any. Walking along the corridor, Tokino suddenly started to smile and stopped in front of one box where Rai's tall, dark brown mare watched him curiously with large, trustful eyes.

"If you don't have names, I'm going to think of some", he declared happily while stroking her soft, silky fur.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Konoe yawned. After completely exhausting themselves, he and Rai had drifted off to sleep again and now, it was almost noon and the moon of light at its highest.

"Awake already?"

Rai's deep voice above him chuckled and Konoe growled at the mocking tone.

"No, I'm sleeptalking to you right now. Of course I'm awake, idiot", he muttered angrily.

Strong arms wrapped around him and pushed him down, lips searched for his own and hands slid down his sides. Konoe groaned while trying to push Rai away from him with all strenght he could muster.

"Come on, again? How do you even have so much energy?", he whined desperately, earning another low chuckle.

"It's not that I'm horny all the time, you're just too irresistible."

Sinking his fangs into Rai's fluffy, small ear, Konoe returned the favour and smirked when he heard the silver cat hiss quietly.

"Okay okay, I get it, I'll give you a break", he choked out and immediately, the younger man released his ear.

His crooked tail swayed triumphantly and he sat up, stretching both arms above his head.

"Good. I need to clean up and eat something", Konoe muttered, grimacing at the sticky feeling everywhere on his body.

Rai sighed and got to his feet, collecting his clothes from the floor and putting them on.

"Well then, let's go. I'll show you a nice shallow bay where you can bathe."

_Bay...?_

Konoe lowered his eyes unsurely while he fixed his shirt.

"You mean down by the shore?", he asked, voice strained.

Rai didn't seem to notice, he just opened the door to their large room and waited for Konoe to follow him.

"Of course. There's only one river on this island and we can't waste fresh water because of a bath, so all kind of cleaning up is done in the ocean", he explained as they made their way down the stairs and out on the wooden veranda.

Konoe swallowed thickly and stared at the shallow, blue water by the shore. Should he tell Rai...? But the silver cat had already started walking again, down the path that lead to the beach. Sand crunched beneath their feet, everything was quiet except for the foambreaking of the waves. After a few minutes, a large formation of rocks appeared in front of them and Rai slipped through a crack in the stone wall. Konoe tilted his head curiously and followed him. Shadows shrouded him for a second before he stepped out into a beautiful bay with white sand and clear, tranquil water, flowers were blossoming in the shadows and even a few palm trees had grown here. Rai was already putting down his gear and clothes when he looked back at Konoe who was slack-jawed once more.

"Nice, isn't it? And the most convenient part: nobody can see you until he's in here - ideal for a bath. My men don't know about this place, so don't tell them." His pale lips curled into a smirk. "It can be our secret spot."

Konoe smiled weakly and stripped off his own cloak, his shirt and pants while Rai watched him with an unsettling predatory look in his ice blue eye. But then, the silver cat turned around and stepped into the clear water, diving under and wetting his hair. Konoe stared at it fascinatedly, it looked like a white cloud was wavering in the water around Rai.

"What? Are you coming or not?"

A raised eyebrow accompanied the question and Konoe swallowed again.

 _Just don't go in too deep, it will be fine,_ he told himself and stepped into the lukewarm water until it reached his hips.

Then he hastily started to scrub down his body while Rai leisurely drifted into the deeper part of the bay. His face was relaxed and his eye closed, Konoe had never seen him so unguarded.

 _He must like the water alot,_ the young Sanga mused as he finished washing his hair and turned around.

Wait.

Where...?

"Rai?"

He let his gaze wander over the small bay. Where was the white cat? He'd been swimming over there just seconds ago!

"Rai!"

Konoe slowly took another step deeper into the water even though his body wanted to refuse.

"Rai, where are you?"

In his irritation, he looked up at the surrounding rocks - and froze.

A tall, dark figure was cowering on a ledge above the basin, watching his every movement intently. Konoe's fight-or-flight-instincts kicked in and all he wanted was to get as far away from this creature as possible. Instinctively, he moved back but slipped on a rock beneath the surface and fell. His eyes widened when he felt his upper body immerse in the warm water and then, there was nothing but a stinging in his lungs, mouth, throat and nose. He struggled desperately, kicking his legs and reaching out both hands to try and grasp onto something, but there was nothing but water. It filled his body like lead, dragging him down, down, down until his back collided with soft, wet sand. Above him, he saw a dim shimmer of light, but it faded all too quickly. His eyes closed, he parted his lips one last time in a desperate attempt to fill his lungs with oxygen, and then, there was darkness.

...

_Crack._

Konoe's eyes flung open, a gush of water left his mouth and dripped down his neck and chest, he coughed violently. A sharp ache filled his ribcage and breathing was painful, but he was breathing.

"God, you're alive, you're alive, Konoe, you're okay..."

Hands feverishly stroke his face, his cheeks, his hair and ears and finally, he understood that it was Rai who talked to him, who knelt next to him on the ground, whose long, silver hair was still soaking wet. Konoe coughed, turned his head to the side and threw up, his body was shaking with convulsions as he emptied his stomach. Rai gently held back his hair, scooped up a handfull of water and washed his mouth before picking him up and carrying him further onto the beach until they reached the first grassy place. Carefully settling down with Konoe in his arms, the silver cat began to stroke his ears soothingly. His own body was trembling too, but he started to get calmer.

"Shhh, it's fine now. Everything's okay, you're okay", he muttered, holding the kitten closer and nuzzling his shoulder.

Konoe was still breathing heavily, his chest continued to ache. Rai had saved him, he'd come back-

"W-Where i-is that _t-thing?",_ he choked out fearfully.

The taller cat stared down at him and furrowed his brows.

_Thing?_

"Konoe? What are you talking about?"

The young Sanga raised his hand weakly, pointing over at the stone wall.

"S-Something was u-up there", he breathed. "Something b-big. A cat, I t-think. It was black, a-all black."

Rai's pupil narrowed down to a slit and he bared his fangs.

"That damn bastard is still living on my island? I was hoping he'd die eventually. Just wait, I'll kill him with my own hands one day!"

Konoe looked up at him with exhausted eyes, then his hand fell down limp and he felt himself growing tired. So tired.

 _Sleep...,_ a voice pleaded inside of him. _Let me sleep..._

And Konoe didn't resist.

While he slowly passed out, he didn't know that a second pair of eyes was watching him too. Daichi was ducking into the tall grass anxiously. They'd seen the white cat and another person leave the house from afar, they had walked along the shore to the small bay Asato and he used too when the silver cat was at sea. The other person was a kitten, barely older than seventeen, and Asato's ears had perked up when he'd seen him.

"I'll go down, I'll watch them", he'd decided, gently squeezing Daichi's small hand. "You wait here, you hide, be careful. I'll come back soon."

And Daichi had obeyed, but he'd watched too. Asato was quiet, good at hiding, but he'd been careless. The kitten had seen him and he'd gotten scared, he was almost drowning now. Daichi watched in horror as the boy struggled to keep himself over water but sank down further and further instead. Why wasn't Asato doing anything? The white cat was nowhere to be seen and Asato was there, right over the bay on the rock wall, why wasn't he saving the poor kitten? But suddenly, the white cat appeared and pulled the boy out of the water and onto the shore, pushing both hands down onto the kitten's chest. Daichi almost dared to relax, when he remembered that Asato was still standing on the rocks.

_Asato...!_

Reaching out to the black cat with all of his might, he screamed Asato's name in his mind. And like he'd heard him, Asato spun around, climbed down the rocks and started running towards the forest, back to their hideout. Daichi let out a quiet sigh of relief and got up, pacing nervously until the leaves to his right began to shake. Grabbing his dagger, he waited calmly, ready to attack anyone who wasn't Asato. But then, a familiar scent grazed his nose and he dashed towards the source of it, throwing himself into Asato's arms and clinging to him tightly.

"You're safe!", he whimpered happily, licking the taller cat's cheek in excitement.

But Asato was tense, his expression stern and he put Daichi down, kissing his forehead.

"The kitten is safe, but the white cat will be angry now. I've seen them talk and play, there is love for this kitten in his eye. He will be very angry. He will hunt, seek, hunt, seek. We have to go further into the mountains."

The small, blond cat looked up at him in fright, his slender tail was trembling.

"Is there love for him too?", he still dared to ask, he needed to know.

Was this kitten really staying with the white cat voluntarily?

Asato nodded slowly, his blue eyes distant and thoughtful.

"Yes, yes. There is love in the eyes of this kitten, too. That's why the white cat will be angry. Run now, we run. Take food and all we need, we have to be fast."

Together, they hastily gathered their few belongings, picked a few ripe coconuts from the trees around them and began to march deeper into the mountains, Daichi first with Asato following closely, turning around every few moments to see if someone was already coming for them, but the shore and house were calm and quiet.

"Go now, fast", he urged Daichi on. "You go, you hide. I will find you, I need to hunt first or we won't survive up there, I will catch up soon."

Shivering, Daichi stopped and looked back at his beloved one.

"Be careful!", he whispered with hanging tail and drooped ears, but Asato just nodded and began to descend again, his sword and bow ready to use at any time.

It displeased him to send Daichi up the mountain alone, but they would need meat too. Hunting a wild deer would take too long, he'd never be able to make it back to the mountains before night fell. If he could just kill one of the tamed deer by the house without being noticed by the pirates...

Flicking his tail nervously, he sneaked closer to the stables where the fencing for the deer was. The beautiful, slender animals watched him cautiously as he came closer, one of them squeaked quietly. Drawing his bow with a swift motion, Asato aimed and let go of the arrow. It hit the animal by the heart, making it fall down without another sound. The other deer jumped away and pressed against the fence in the furthest corner, rolling their big eyes in panic. Asato quietly climbed over the fencing and grabbed the dead deer, carefully lifting it up and dragging it outside.

 _I don't like hurting the innocent,_ he thought bitterly.

Still, it was needed. He and Daichi _needed_ to live. Just as he was about to disappear into the forest, he heard a loud shout behind him.

They'd noticed.

He needed to act right now. If they followed him, he would have to lead them away from Daichi, but if they didn't, he needed to hurry. Deciding to take a small detour before following his mate deeper into the mountains, he laid a false trail for his possible pursuers, hoping they wouldn't start searching the whole island for him. If they did, they would find Daichi at some point. But for now, they were safe enough if they wandered further.

_For now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short, I know, I know... Gomen ne, it's hard to write right now.
> 
> Lyrics used: _Ring the bell,_ an old, commonly sung shanty


	9. Chapter 9 or Savages that aren't really savages

_Down there I met two sailors_   
_Who seemed to be in pain_   
_One said: "But if you go now,_   
_I fear you'll never return again!"_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"He's a savage, living in the mountains with another cat that escaped from the _Revenge_ a few years ago. He's dangerous, strong and smart, too. Killed quite a few of my men when we were trying to hunt him down."

Rai was sitting by the table with crossed arms and legs, watching as Konoe wolfed down the food on his plate.

"But why didn't you just leave him alone?", the younger cat asked between to bites.

Rai scoffed and turned around, staring out of the window instead.

"Because he's a threat for my crew. And he hunts and steels deer. Promise me you will never go outside alone. Call me or", he scowled in contempt, "your friend, the ginger, if you want to leave the house to go somewhere. And don't stray too far into the mountains, he's hiding there."

Konoe straightened his back instinctively and his fur bristled.

"I can fight, you know. I'm not a helpless kitten!", he revolted.

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed his wrist so hard that he could literally feel bruises forming on his skin.

"I said, _promise",_ Rai growled dangerously.

His blue eye was flashing with fury, but Konoe bared his sharp fangs and hissed at him.

"No! Why are you always patronizing me like this? I can defend myself, I can handle a sword, I'm not weak!"

The atmosphere went from cold to freezing and for a few moments, all they did was stare at eachother. Then, Rai moved. He was too fast and strong for Konoe and before the boy even knew what was going on, his wrists were tied together with Rai's bandanna and he was being carried upstairs. Cursing and raging, Konoe tried to free himself, but Rai just ignored his protests like the one time, back in Ransen.

"Let me down, _let me down_ you bastard, let go of me, I said _let me down!"_

Konoe was yelling at the top of his lungs, banging both fists against Rai's back repeatedly. The sudden rage was boiling inside of him, spilling from his words as he started to throw every single insult he'd ever heard from the sailors at Rai until the white cat suddenly grabbed his tail and jerked it so roughly that Konoe cried out and tears blurred his vision. It felt like his tail was being ripped off.

"Konoe, watch your words! I will not have you talk back to me like that!", Rai bellowed and finally set the smaller cat down in front of a seperate room. "You'll sleep here tonight, I will lock the door and _don't you dare_ try to escape through the window! I hope you'll learn your lesson!"

And with those words, he shoved Konoe inside and slammed the door shut firmly. The lock clicked quietly, then the key was pulled away and steps faded into the distance. Tears of anger and pain were still dripping down Konoe's reddened cheeks, but he didn't utter a single sound, he just stood there in the middle of the room with clenched fists and gritted teeth, crying silently.

_Screw him!_

Kicking his foot against one post of the canopy bed, he hissed at nothing in particular and finally sank down on the mattress. The sheets were soft and cool, but when he rubbed his tear-stained cheek against them, they didn't smell like Rai even a little bit. They just smelled clean and fresh. Usually, he would be content with that, but for some reason, it made him even more upset now. He should sleep here?

_Alone?_

Without a single pillow or blanket from Rai? Without the comforting warmth pressed against his back reassuringly? Without the strong arms wrapped around him, holding him and soothing him after a bad dream? He began to cry anew and this time, he didn't care if anyone heard. Hell, he didn't even care if _Rai_ heard! All he wanted was to get out of this room and be with his Touga again. But nobody responded to his sobs. Soon, he began to scratch at the door.

"Rai!", he whined desperately. "Rai, please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you angry, let me outside, please, I'll apologize for everything, please, _please!"_

Still, the house stayed quiet, he didn't even hear steps or voices anymore. The silence was suffocating and his breathing sped up.

"Rai! Please, I apologize, I promise I won't leave the house without you, I'll promise everything, I'll do whatever you want, but let me out of here!"

His voice began to grow hysteric and as an hour passed, his words had become broken screams and sobs. Nobody answered his pleas. One time, he thought he'd heard Tokino yell, but it could've been his imagination too. Why was nobody coming? Why didn't Rai let him out already? Why was he being punished so cruely? Crying, he curled up in front of the door, hugged both knees to his chest and closed his eyes. He felt awful and pathetic.

"Please... I promise...", he whispered one last time before everything went black.

From downstairs, voices suddenly grew loud. Aoba tried to grab Tokino's arm as the boy dashed forward, but he didn't manage to catch him.

"You bastard! Let Konoe out!"

A sharp dagger flashed in the bright afternoon light, but before it could even reach Rai, a black whip curled around his leg and jerked him back. Mizuki walked over to Tokino, who tried to pry the thin leather strap off of his leg and unwrapped it with a fast motion, attaching it to his belt again. Bloody streaks covered Tokino's thigh, but he didn't care. Suddenly, the hard end of the whip was rammed against his forehead and he growled in pain. Blood dripped down his temple and brow, painted his vision red. Rai grabbed a fistful of his ginger hair and jerked his head up.

"Listen closely, you brat", the silver cat purred with sickeningly sweet voice. "If I punish Konoe, only because I have a reason. A pretty damn _good_ reason, too. And now you better get out of my sight for today or you'll face much worse punishment."

His gaze wandered over to Mizuki who smiled back at him and gently wiped the blood from the whip's handle.

Tokino got to his feet shakily and stormed off, sneaking into the stables. His cheek was red and bruised, the bloody wound on his forehead throbbed. He could still hear Konoe's cries and sobs from the second floor of the house and it tore at his heart, making his chest ache. The whip to the face had been painful, but it couldn't compare to the pain those desperate screams awoke inside of him.

"Monster", he spat out shakily, wishing he could dare to say it directly to Rai's face. "You're a fucking monster!"

Instinctively, he slipped into the darkest corner of the building, planning to just hide in one of the stables, but then he noticed a heavy looking set of iron bars in front of one of them. Carefully stepping closer, he flicked his ears and peeked through the bars. Behind them was a large, chestnut-coloured horse, pacing nervously up and down. Tokino sniffled and wiped the bloody tears from his cheek while curling his long, fluffy tail around his trembling thighs. The smell of blood probably scared her, but he couldn't be bothered about it.

"Hey girl", he whispered with shaking voice and reached one hand in through the iron bars.

She snorted, shook her mane and fled to the farthest corner of her stable, eyeing him suspiciously like she was expecting a hit. Her ears were flattened, she even bared her teeth, but Tokino didn't care. His trembling hand worked the lock open and he slipped inside, closing the door behind him. It fell shut with a rustling sound and the mare rose to her hind legs before pawing the ground agitatedly. With a quiet sob, Tokino stepped towards her, not realizing how defensive she lowered her head. His slender arms wrapped around her neck, grabbed her mane tight and clung to her warm body.

"They locked him up", he whispered under his breath. "They locked him up and now he's crying and nobody won't let him out. I hate them, I hate them!"

The mare stiffened when his hands started to caress her sticky, sweaty fur, stroking her strong neck and muscled shoulder. And then, she lowered her head and began to nibble at his hair soothingly, blew warm air over his face to calm him down and nudged his cheek again and again until his breathing had evened out. His fingers were still combing through her fur, gently and careful not to tug at one of the many knots or touch the half-healed wounds that were covered in layers of dried blood and dirt. She could really need a good grooming...

"You're not dangerous like Mizuki said", Tokino whispered into her thick mane. "You're just scared of him."

She huffed quietly like she'd understood every word that left his lips and Tokino slid the back of his hand over her soft nostrils.

"But that's fine. I'm scared of him too."

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Asato tried to cover Daichi's ears with both hands, but the loud yells and screams from the house, the sounds a whip hitting flesh and the curses were still audible. Shivering, the blond kitten pressed up against him and whimpered quietly.

"What is happening?", he asked, already on the verge of tears, digging his claws into Asato's bare chest.

The darkhaired cat shrugged helplessly, then he started to groom Daichi's soft, fluffly ears in the vague hope of calming him down at least a little bit.

"The white cat is bad again", he muttered, voice overflowing with disgust.

Daichi looked up at him and cupped his face, hands trembling.

"Can you go look?", he asked desperately. "The kitten is so small, so beautiful! I don't want him to be hurt!"

Asato averted his gaze, bit his lips and sighed. Daichi knew that he couldn't deny any request if he asked like this.

"Okay, I go look", he promised. "But not now. Later, when the night is at its darkest."

Daichi nodded gratefully, leaned up and kissed his beloved, tail wrapping around their waists and caressing Asato's smooth skin.

The hours passed and finally, there was no more light coming from the house. Under the cover of a darkened sky, Asato sneaked down a narrow, hidden pathway that led directly to the veranda of the large house. Without a single rustling of leaves or crunching of sand, the large, dark cat slid up the stairs and looked around carefully. His bow was hanging over his shoulder loosely, ready to be drawn at any time as he quietly opened the front door and stepped inside. The cool wooden floor felt good against his feet, but he was flicking his ears nervously. Everyone was asleep, he couldn't sense a single movement in any of the rooms. Furrowing his brows, he sniffed carefully. A sweet scent, like the one of a pretty flower, wafted through the air, but it was blurred by something bitter. Fear and pain and despair, probably.

Did the white cat hurt his mate?

He needed to find out. Sneaking up the stairs, he walked through a long corridor with many closed doors. Behind a few of them, he sensed sleeping or tired cats, only two rooms were different. One seemed to be the Captain's room and Asato hissed instinctively, backed away and walked past the door. He hated that smell and besides - the cat was awake. He seemed to be pacing restlessly. Another room, a few doors down the hallway, was occupied by a similar restless cat. Asato leaned against the door and pressed his ear against it, listening closely. A weak voice sobbed a name, over and over again, sometimes whispering incomprehensible words too. Asato tucked his black tail between his legs and carefully tried to open the door.

It was locked.

Narrowing his pupils in concentration, he extended one claw and carefully nudged the lock aside. Like this, he'd escaped quite a few times already when someone had tried to lock him up. The door swung open and the kitten, who was laying on the bed, lifted his head. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, his body was trembling and Asato felt anger welling up inside of him.

How could someone mistreat such a beautiful creature?

The boy stared at him with wide eyes, but he didn't move one single bit.

"W-Who... Who are you?", he finally stuttered when Asato came closer.

"I'm a friend", the large cat tried to explain with gentle voice. "I won't hurt you."

The kitten sniffled, rubbed the back of his hand against his eyes and leaned against the headboard of the bed.

"What are... you doing here?", he whispered weakly.

Asato curled his tail and perked his ears up in a friendly manner.

"It's fine. I'm not here to hurt you", he reassured and stepped towards the bed.

The boy hugged both knees to his chest and watched him carefully, eyes hazed with tears, his hand slowly slid towards the sword by his side. Asato lifted both hands to show that he wasn't armed.

"I come to check on you", he whispered throatily. "Heard you scream, cry. Come down from mountains to see if you are fine. The silver cat is bad, does bad things to many kittens. If he is bad to you, I can take you away."

The suggestion was risky and he knew it. Feeding two kittens would be hard, especially if one of them was the white cat's new plaything, but he'd manage.

_But what if he's more than a plaything to him?_

Asato bit his lips. He'd seen the white cat's face that other day when they'd been playing by the beach, how relieved he'd looked when the kitten had started to breathe again.

"L-Leave Rai?" The boy sounded completely and utterly shocked. "I could _never_ leave Rai! He's... he's my Touga!"

The blackhaired cat bared his fangs irritatedly. He understood the words and their meanings yet what he didn't understand was the motivation behind them.

"But look how he treats you!", Asato hissed. "Locks doors, makes you cry - this is no good! Come with me, come to mountains!"

The kitten shook his head wildly, his ears folded backwards and his tail lashed.

"No! I can't! I... I can't just leave Rai, I can't leave Tokino! They're all that I have left!"

Suddenly, a door opened and quick steps approached.

"Konoe? Konoe!"

Asato flinched and jumped over to the window, opening it and throwing a last, worried glance at the boy who stared after him with wide eyes, then he carefully climbed outside.

While Konoe still couldn't quite comprehense what had just happened, Rai appeared in the doorway. His dagger was unsheated, his fur bristled and his fangs bared.

"Who were you talking to? Did one of my men break the lock? Was it your friend? _Answer me!"_

But his anger melted away when he saw how small and vulnerable Konoe looked like this, cowering on the bed with his hazel eyes opened wide and his crooked tail wrapped around his waist. Sighing, the silver cat stepped closer and scooped the Sanga up in his arms.

"I swear, you're going to be my death one day", he muttered when Konoe suddenly clung to him like they'd been separated for ages.

"Why did you leave me alone?", the younger cat sobbed dryly. "Why didn't you let me out? I apologized so many times, I didn't understand why you got so mad over this, it was just a stupid promise-"

A strong hand was placed over his mouth and he felt Rai settling down on their bed with him.

"It wasn't a stupid promise, Konoe. I... I don't know. I overreacted, probably. But still, it is an important promise. You would be in danger out there alone and I couldn't _stand_ if something ever happened to you, if someone hurt you, if someone other than me touched you", he whispered. "I hope you can forgive me, I understand now that the punishment was much too harsh for such a simple argument."

Konoe pressed up against him, wrapped both arms and his tail around Rai and whined softly.

"I just wanted to be with you, all the time. Nothing in there smelt like you and I felt so alone..."

At those words, Rai suddenly perked up. He remembered the door being open, a dark shadow by the window and a deep voice talking.

"But who was in there with you?", he asked suspiciously. "Was it the ginger?"

Konoe lifted his head, obviously confused. He furrowed his brows and looked up at Rai with dark eyes.

"I... I don't really know", he muttered quietly. "It wasn't Tokino, I couldn't recognize anything about this cat. He just said... that he was a friend and that he'd wanted to check on me because he'd heard me cry..."

Rai scowled and nodded when Konoe's voice slowly died out.

"I'll ask my men if they have seen or heard more."

Just as he wanted to get up again, a hand clutched his loose shirt and the younger cat mewled in panic.

"No! Don't go, please, don't leave me alone again!"

Rai stared down at Konoe in astonishment - the fear in those hazel eyes wasn't fake.

"Konoe!" He leaned down again and firmly grabbed the kitten's hand. "What's wrong?"

Like a child, Konoe wrapped both arms around Rai's neck and buried his face against the strong shoulder of his mate.

"Don't leave me here alone", he whispered and with that, Rai sank back onto the bed and frowned.

"Oh kitten", he muttered, gently grooming Konoe's ears. "I didn't know it would affect you so much..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know I haven't been posting lately but plz forgive me. U all get a free cookie for reading. Or actually... _Puts whole cake on table_ Here u go, take a piece.
> 
> Lyrics used: _My jolly sailor bold_ from Pirates of the Caribbean (slightly changed)


	10. Chapter 10 or Another ship

_I want to fly over white clouds_  
_On white horses_  
_Tonight with you_  
_And succumb to your power_  
_Until I lose time with you._

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

The moon of light hadn't even risen yet, but a tall, slender cat sneaked out of the house at dusk and crept into the stables, carrying a long rope, a few brushes and a stack of apples. The metallic rustling of a lock being opened and then the sound of a stable door sliding to the side echoed through the morning air. Hooves clattered across stone when the cat lead one of the horses outside and into the roundpen, then the person gathered a bucket of fresh water from the small river near the stables. Watching him curiously, the chestnut-coloured horse snorted and he grinned playfully.

"Let's show him dangerous, okay?"

Within the next few hours, he scrubbed the mare down from her head to the hooves, cleaned her wounds, combed her mane, groomed her fur and when he was done, a tall, beautiful horse was roaming around the small roundpen with relaxed movements and drooped ears, swaying her tail occasionally and lifting her head when the cat, who was sitting by the wall, clicked his tounge at her.

"See? You're even more attentive and obedient than most other horses", he muttered with a smile.

She huffed and began to paw the ground, her newly lifted spirits made the black of her eyes shine with excitement. It seemed to be the first time she was allowed to move freely in the roundpen and now, she was bursting with enthusiasm. Tokino slowly got to his feet and grabbed the rope that was laying in front of him.

"Let's try some easy exercise, okay?", he asked with soft voice and raised both arms to shoo her towards the wooden wall. "No whip, no yelling."

She fell into a quick trot, but didn't look scared as she moved around him in a large circle. Tokino couldn't help but grin when he remembered how she'd panicked at Mizuki's lead a few days ago.

"Dangerous? You? No, you've just been mishandled!", he giggled and turned his back to her, allowing the large animal to come to him.

When she carefully nudged his shoulder, he petted her for a long time. His forehead eventually came to rest against hers, when suddenly-

"What the hell are you doing? Get away from her!"

A tall cat rushed in through the gate and the mare jerked her head up, shoving Tokino to the ground in the process. He yelped and tried to get to his feet as fast as possible, but it was too late. One of her hooves hit his shoulder and a sharp pain spread through his bones along with a sickening crack.

"Tokino!"

The scream was ringing in his ears and he felt himself being pulled into someones lap, arms wrapped around his upper body and he felt a warm weight crouching down over him to protect him from getting harmed any further while a cloud of dust rose around them. A whip was lashed and a horse neighed in panic and pain, he saw emerald green eyes and burgundy-coloured hair, bared fangs and bristled fur, heard yells and voices, _Get him out, get him out!,_ and _Is he hurt?,_ and _Quick, give him something to drink!,_ and the opening of a bottle was forced between his lips but he couldn't swallow the burning liquid, coughing and holding his shoulder with one hand.

"I'll kill this stupid beast, this is the last time she's hurt someone!", he heard a familiar voice from seemingly far away.

 _No,_ he wanted to say, _it wasn't her fault,_ but not a single sound would leave his throat.

"No, no, no, don't loose consciousness now, stay awake!"

Someone backhanded him roughly and again, the bottle was pressed against his teeth. He shoved it away and tried to take deeper breaths, but he felt nauseous and dizzy.

"Come on, you've got to drink something or the pain won't get better!"

He scowled instinctively and shifted his weight towards his not injured shoulder, when suddenly, something soft met his lips. He blinked to see what was going on, but everything was blurry except for two bright green eyes right above him. His mouth opened slightly into the kiss and something like acid trickled down his tounge, but he swallowed with a soft sound of protest.

"There you go, good boy", someone whispered to him. "Everything will be fine soon."

His throat felt dry like sandpaper and so he just nodded weakly. Hands caressed his cheek and forehead, wiping away the cold sweat that was forming there.

"I told you to stay away from her, she's unpredictable", the voice muttered bitterly.

Tokino opened his eyes one last time and stared straight at Mizuki with a pained expression.

"J-Just because you... s-scared her."

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Konoe was kneeling on the wooden floor in front of the bed, lips pressed against the back of Tokino's hand, eyes closed. Rai was leaning against the doorframe and watched him with a calm expression, but beneath his cool façade raged maddening jealousy.

"Won't you come down for dinner?", he finally asked, voice steady and unmoving as ever. "Mizuki will take good care of him."

The burgundy-haired cat, who was resting next to Tokino, nodded without uttering a single word. He hadn't talked ever since Tokino had lost consciousness a while ago. But before Konoe could even get up, someone barged into the house and dashed up the stairs.

"A ship! A ship is setting anchor! A ship with white sails!"

Rai spun around and grabbed the hilt of his sword, his blue eye was gleaming. Koujaku and Noiz, both completely out of breath with disheveled hair, were standing by the top landing.

"We... were down... by the beach... and... that large ship... just came into sight... and set anchors!", Koujaku gasped. "A merchant ship!"

Konoe watched Rai with wide, dark eyes. The silverhaired cat seemed to think for a moment, then he nodded towards Konoe.

"Come on, maybe we'll have to fight. You'll sing for me."

The young Sanga rose to his feet and threw a last glance at the unconscious Tokino, then he followed Rai outside. The horses were saddled, swords and daggers were attached to belts and in a wild mess of yells, whistles and laughing, the crew rode down to the beach. This time, Konoe had insisted on taking a horse on his own and the white stallion Rai had saddled for him followed the tall, brown mare of the Captain closely.

"What are you going to do?", he asked Rai through all the noise around them.

The white cat shrugged, his shoulders were tense.

"Let's see what they want. It could be a trap and there are soldiers hiding on the ship, but it could be a simple merchant too who doesn't know what island this is. Either way, I won't stop my men from attacking if they want to."

Konoe lowered his head and bit his lips. This painfully reminded him of the fact that Rai was still a pirate and that the king of Sisa was probably looking for him all over the sea and its islands. When they finally reached the bay, the ship had hoisted a black flag on the main mast.

 _"Parley?_ What right do they think they have to rely on _Parley?",_ on of the pirates laughed and the others joined in, but Rai silenced them with a sharp glare.

"Shut up. Let's see who they are, then you can take over their ship."

A dark figure appeared on the bow of the ship and looked down at them. When Konoe recognized the person, he gasped in shock.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"Where is my son?"

The merchant cat was overflowing with anger and worry and if it hadn't been for Rai and Aoba stepping in front of Konoe protectively, he probably would've torn the young cat to shreds right here and now.

"It was _your_ fault that my Tokino ran away from me, wasn't it? It was _you_ who told him to board that pirate ship! I want to see my son!"

A large hand was placed on the man's shoulder and Bardo flicked his striped ears.

"Now, now, I can understand that you are upset, but Konoe isn't the one to blame", he tried to calm Tokino's father down.

Rai scowled and seemingly bared his fangs at the large cat, his hand trembled over the hilt of his dagger. Indeed, nobody noticed what he was really looking at.

"Shut your dirty mouth! Hearing his name from your mouth makes me _sick",_ he hissed furiously.

Konoe just stared at the two cats with dull eyes. How had Bardo known where Rai would take him? Did he know the island? Were they just randomly searching?

"Rai, I'm not here to fight nor am I here to take Konoe away from you", the tiger cat spoke calmly. "We're just here to see how he and Tokino are doing."

The silver cat grabbed Konoe's wrist and pulled him towards the door of the cabin.

"As you can see, he's doing well and so is Tokino", he growled. "And now kindly piss off, I can't guarantee that my crew isn't willing to kill every single man on this ship."

Tokino's father lunged forward and caught Rai by his shoulder, shaking it vigorously.

"Where is my son? I want to speak with my son! Where is Tokino? I came here to take him back home and I want to see him _now!",_ he screamed.

A short flash of silver metal flickered through the air and Rai shoved both Sangas that were accompanying him towards the door while pressing his dagger against the merchant's throat.

"He is at _my_ house, taking care of _my_ horses, living on _my_ island and he is part of _my_ crew now", he whispered with dark voice. "And nobody leaves my crew alive. So if you want to take your dead son home, go ahead. If you want to see him alive, then I guess you should start to obey _my_ rules as long as your ship is in _my_ island's port."

The tall man swallowed visibly and backed away from the cold blade pushed against his skin. Konoe looked back at Bardo one last time and scowled, then he left the ship with Aoba and Rai following closely. When they reached the waiting group of pirates by the shore, everyone jumped to their feet, but Rai just swayed his tail.

"Sorry boys, no boarding this ship. Not yet, at least. We're riding back to the house, but I want two men patrolling the house tonight, who knows what might happen. Have I made myself clear? Koujaku, you're in charge of carrying this out."

The blackhaired cat saluted playfully and grinned.

"Sir, yes, Sir!"

Just as Konoe wanted to mount his horse, Rai grabbed his arm and dragged him towards his brown mare.

"You're coming with me", he muttered throatily.

Sighing softly but not able to put up a fight over this, Konoe climbed into the saddle and waited until Rai was sitting behind him. Suddenly, a voice called out to them.

"Rai! Wait!"

The silver cat turned the large horse around and bared his fangs at Bardo, who was leaning over the ship's railing.

"What?", he hissed irritatedly.

The striped cat looked worried and uneasy, his fur stood on end.

"Where's Tokino? And why isn't Mizuki here? Isn't he the one responsible for your horses? Something happened, right?"

Konoe didn't want to look Bardo in the eyes, so he just hid his face in Rai's shoulder and felt the tall man tighten his grip around him.

"Stop sticking your arrogant nose into other people's business and get out of my sight!", he heard Rai yell, then the brown mare fell into a light gallop and when Konoe finally dared to blink again, they were already deep in the tropical forest.

Rai's chest felt tense against his back and he held the reigns much tighter than usual, bloodstained foam dripped from the mare's nostrils as she dashed down the narrow path. Rai didn't let her slow down once and Konoe soon buried his face in her mane to protect himself from the ice cold wind. Night had already fallen over Sisa and their island and he felt exhausted. In front of the house, Rai jumped to the ground, catched him as he slid out of the saddle and carried him inside.

"I'm so sorry you had to face him again", his deep voice muttered as they reached their room. "If I'd known he would be there too, I would've left you here with your friend."

Konoe shuddered. Once, he'd thought Rai was the bad guy in his story, but now he remembered that it had been Bardo who'd given him away so easily, who'd never noticed how the sailors and Verg treated him, who'd scolded him for being _rude_ towards customers who molested him on a daily basis. And then, Rai had stepped into his life, tall and beautiful and strong and he'd fought him off many times because he couldn't let go of the image of Rai as the evil character in his own fairytale when in reality, everything was so much better with Rai. Rai treated him like a prince, he protected him, he listened and teached him and he cared for him.

Curling up against the warm body of his Touga, Konoe opened his eyes and carefully touched Rai's cheek with his fingertips.

"I don't hate you", he whispered and smiled weakly.

Rai's lips twitched, then he kissed Konoe and pushed him towards the stairs.

"Go upstairs and wait for me in our room. I'll join you soon", he demanded gently and the younger cat obeyed with a short flick of his crooked tail.

The silver cat left the house again and walked over to his horse, grabbing her reigns and leading her into the stables.

"He thinks I'm an idiot, thinks I haven't noticed", he cursed under his breath. "That bastard!"

The mare pawed the ground nervously. She sensed the agitation of her master, as well as a dark presence slowly taking over the island. The saddle was removed from her back and placed over the stable door, then Rai patted her neck and leaned against the wooden gate.

"I won't let any of them near the house", he whispered, a sick, twisted smile spread over his lips. "If they come to the house, I'll kill them all, I'll kill them, kill them, kill them _all!"_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Tokino awoke to the feeling of a warm weight on his waist. When he touched it with furrowed brows, the person next to him stirred and emerald green eyes opened slowly.

"You're awake? How do you feel?"

Mizuki's voice was hazy with sleep and exhaustion, but he sat up anyway to look down at Tokino who shifted with a quiet groan.

"It....hurts...", he breathed desperately, his hand came up to claw at the injured shoulder.

Mizuki carefully pulled his hand away and held it down.

"I know, I'm sorry, kitten", he muttered. "I had to push your broken bones back into place so they would heal the right way. It will hurt for a while now, so why don't you try to go back to sleep?"

Tokino was breathing heavily, there was some kind of pressure on his chest, there wasn't enough air...

"Calm down or you'll make it worse, Tokino!", Mizuki scolded worriedly.

He tried to listen, tried to calm his breaths, and slowly, the pressure faded. His sky blue eyes stared at Mizuki, they were glazed over like newly cut glass.

"What happened to the horse?", he finally choked out.

The pirate's face darkened immediately and he scowled.

"I put her back in the stables for now, but she's too dangerous to be alive. I'll kill her tomorrow morning."

Tokino gasped and clawed Mizuki's arm, panic flooded his blood like liquid ice.

"No, no! You can't kill her, please, wait until I'm okay again, I can show you that she's not bad, please..."

He sobbed in pain and a hand gently brushed through his ginger hair.

"Shhh, it's fine. Don't get all worked up over a beast like her. Look what she's done to you! I'd never forgive myself if I'd let her live and she'd hurt you again", Mizuki whispered, obviously uneasy.

Tokino had no power left to explain that she'd just been spooked by Mizuki's sudden scream, that she hadn't meant to hurt him. A gentle kiss was pressed to his lips.

"Sleep now, kitten."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters are getting shorter and shorter I think. Plz forgive me.
> 
> For those who haven't seen PotC: Parley is part of the pirate codex which means that two or more hostile parties gather for talking, not for fighting
> 
> Lyrics used: _Weiße Pferde_ by Juliane Werding (translated)


	11. Chapter 11 or Escapes and attacks

_My father is a merchant,_   
_Deals jewels, gems and gold_   
_And he frowns upon his first son_   
_Who loves a pirate bold_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Tokino lay awake with racing thoughts, clawing the bedsheets beneath him. Mizuki seemed to be fast asleep by now, but he waited a little longer to make sure the pirate wouldn't hear him. Then, he slipped out of bed and gritted his teeth to suppress a pained groan that threatened to spill from his lips.

"Damn..."

Holding his injured arm, Tokino slowly sneaked out of his room and down the stairs, when he suddenly saw the light of a torch burning on the veranda. Two tall cats were standing outside, staring into the darkness with flicking tails and Tokino frowned.

Why had Rai put up watchmen tonight?

He cowered down behind the doorframe of the front entrance and watched the cats. Both had golden hair and fair skin, but the fur of the taller man was flaming red and his tail was longer.

"I hate winter. Nothing to do at all here", his deep voice muttered in a strange tone that seemed to chew through Tokino's ears with icy fangs.

"Hm, you think so? Well, if you got to choose, what would you _want_ to do?", the smaller cat asked with hypnotic voice.

Trip and Virus. Tokino held his breath. He'd heard many rumors about them on the ship, mostly from Aoba and Mizuki. They'd joined the ship in an unknown port somewhere in Sisa, Rai had made Virus the quartermaster within a few days and not a single one of the cats on board had ever worked under such a cruel quartermaster. Even though punishments were rare, _if_ someone happened to break the rules, it was horrible. Noiz, one of the youngest cats, had shown him the scars all over his body. He'd been whipped for disobeying Rai during a boarding and if it hadn't been for Koujaku, he probably would've died back then. The first mate had stopped Virus, earning the scar across the bridge of his nose, but after Noiz had ended the story, the taller cat had leaned over, kissed his pierced ear and said that Noiz was worth every single scar he'd ever gotten because of him. Tokino smiled at the memory. If only he had someone who love him so dearly...

"If I got to choose? I think you know the answer already."

Trip's voice got him back into the present and he flinched. If they caught him sneaking around at night, they'd probably punish him too... He needed to get to the stables somehow. Determined to protect his beloved mare from being killed and probably eaten - the thought made him sick - he waited until he heard heavy steps cross the wooden veranda.

"No, I really don't. Why don't you tell me?"

Virus laughed in a strange, melodic way, the sound made Tokino's fur bristle. A dark growl from Trip answered and two shadows melted into one as the smaller cat was pushed up against the house wall.

"You. I'd do you", Trip whispered roughly and Tokino felt his ears perk up.

Was everyone on this damn island in a relationship with eachother? Quickly dashing past the two cats, he escaped safely towards the stables. His steps led him directly to the mare's barred shed but now he was faced with another problem: the lock. How was he supposed to pick it with only one hand? When the restless pacing horse noticed him, she started to push against the iron bars, snorting agitatedly and banging her hooves against the walls.

"Shh, girl, you have to be _quiet!",_ Tokino begged desperately, stroking her chestnut-coloured fur through the bars that separated them.

Again, the mare slammed her hooves against the door and suddenly, something hard and small hit Tokino's head. He cursed and crouched down to see what it was - a small, rusty key. His heart started to thump wildly as he tried to open the lock and it really moved. The door slid open, his horse trotted outside and nodded her head violently, like she was urging him to hurry up. Tokino grabbed one of the bridles from the wall and carefully pushed the metal piece into her mouth before closing all straps, leading her towards a small chest and climbing onto it.

"Sorry, but my arm is pretty much useless right now", he whispered and swung one leg over her back.

Holding his breath, Tokino put all of his weight onto her and waited. She didn't buck, she didn't panic, she just stood there and curiously chewed on the mouthpiece, completely calm. Tokino tugged at the reins with his right hand and she moved out of the stables with slow, careful steps. The ginger cat cursed himself for not wrapping her hooves in cloth, but it was too late now.

"I won't let them kill you", he whispered while leaning against the strong neck in front of him and rubbing his cheek against her soft fur.

The mare snorted softly and began to climb the hill in front of them. She still needed to find her balance with Tokino's weight confusing her slightly, but she didn't show any signs of stress. Slowly but safely, she searched her way through the dark forest and they were far away already when lights lit up in the house and everbody started yelling his name.

"How could he sneak out? I thought you were sleeping right next to him! And why didn't you two see or hear him sneaking out?"

Konoe was furious and so was Rai. His hair was wafting behind him like a wave of pure silver as he crossed his arms and walked up and down in the foyer. His men, above all Mizuki, Trip and Virus, were staring at him with lowered ears and tails tucked between their legs.

"I want you to find him and I don't care how long it takes!", the Captain finally bellowed. "Follow the river into the mountains, he'll need lots of fresh water if he took the horse with him. And take the bows with you, in case you find the savage. This guy is getting a little too cocky now, breaking into my house crosses the line. _Get moving, you bastards!"_

Hastily spitten out _Yes, Sir's_ filled the room as everyone scurried to the stables. Konoe exhaled sharply and turned around to look at Rai, his hazel eyes were brimming with tears.

"Rai, he's injured and all alone, I want to look for him too!", he whispered beseechingly.

The white cat looked at him for a long time from the corner of his eye, then he sighed.

"Fine, I'll get my horse ready."

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Tokino licked his dry lips. The reins were loosely hanging from his hand, he was slumped over the mare's neck and his eyes were half closed. Pain and thirst made him feel dizzy and tired, the horse was breathing heavily too. Sweat coated her shiny fur, made it wet, sticky and hot, but she moved on. On their left grew large palmtrees, hard, dry grass and plants that were unknown to Tokino, on their right rolled waves against the shore.

"So much water and nothing to drink anywhere", the cat finally chuckled to himself and gently scratched the mare's ear. "Isn't it funny?"

She didn't react, just moved on and on and on. Maybe this hadn't been a very good idea after all. His eyes closed further when the mare suddenly jerked her head up and neighed. Tokino blinked into the bright sunshine and saw a small, black figure, far away from them but growing taller every moment. He heard yells, saw the person waving at him, but he hadn't enough energy to answer anymore.

"Just go on", he whispered to his mare. "Just go straight ahead."

And she obeyed. His body began to slip from her back and when she stopped in front of the tall, striped cat that had been running towards them, Tokino couldn't hold onto her mane anymore. He slid to the side, fell from the horse's back and landed in the warm water. That he was being picked up and carried down the beach was unknown to him, also that the mare followed closely and nudged his limp hand occasionally.

"This looks bad", the striped cat muttered worriedly and climbed up the gangway of a large ship with white sails.

Snorting agitatedly, the mare pawed the wooden pier and threw her head back. Bardo turned around and looked at her in surprise. She'd followed him all the way here and now she was seriously placing one hoove on he gangway, determined not to leave Tokino. She slipped a few times on her way but finally reached the deck and stood there with wide eyes.

"Strange horse you got there", Bardo chuckled on amusement and carried the unconscious Tokino inside to let him rest.

As he passed the door to the cabins, a man came running after him.

"Is it Tokino? Oh God, Tokino! My son, what happened to my son?"

The merchant cat was trembling, stroking Tokino's sweaty hair with both hands. The kitten opened his eyes and blinked slowly.

"Dad?", he whispered under his breath and reached out his good arm.

"Yes, yes, I'm here Tokino, I'm here", the tall man sobbed and grasped his son's hand. "What happened to you?"

The ginger cat groaned quietly and licked his bloody, chapped lips. Bardo gently pressed a bottle of water against his mouth and Tokino swallowed eagerly, the cold liquid tasted sweet like honey on his dry tounge and throat.

"What's with Talon?", he asked weakly.

The name slipped from his lips naturally, like it had always been there, just waiting to be used. His father frowned worriedly.

"Who?"

Tokino coughed and tried to get up.

"Talon... my horse... she... she needs water too...", he muttered, but Bardo pushed him back onto the bed he'd been placed on.

"You rest now, I'll take care of your horse", he assured with a smile and Tokino sighed in relief, closing his eyes again and sinking into a deep, dreamless sleep.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"We've been out here all day now", Noiz complained exhaustedly. "If the brat is somewhere around here, we would've found or at least seen him!"

A few men growled approvingly and Rai lifted his gaze. The first stars started to shine through purple clouds and he huffed irritatedly before flicking the reins of his horse.

"Fine, we'll ride back for today", he agreed.

Konoe, who was dozing off in his lap, jerked upright.

"No, no, we can't go home just now", he whined sleepily. "He's probably hurt and scared, please, Rai!"

The silver cat growled and urged his horse into a swift trot, leading the large group of pirates back down into the valley.

"Konoe, we're all exhausted and it's too dark to search any further", he reasoned and the younger cat lowered his head.

The steady movements of Rai's horse made him drowsy once again, but when they finally reached the house, a person was sitting on the veranda stairs and Konoe jolted awake.

"Hello guys, I thought you wouldn't return for the night", a friendly voice called out and immediately, swords and bows were drawn.

For a moment, it was dead silent and both parties eyed eachother suspiciously. Then-

"What are you doing here?"

Rai's voice was horrifying and Konoe almost flinched. How scary this man could get sometimes! Bardo got up from where he'd been resting and waved his hat in a friendly manner.

"Hey, put those bad spikes away, I'm just here to ask of you know that Tokino is at our ship right now?", he mused.

Those words woke Konoe up instantly.

"He's at your ship? Is he alright?", he asked worriedly and almost fell out of the saddle from leaning forward so hastily.

Bardo nodded with crossed arms and perked up ears.

"He's quite dehydrated and tired, but I suppose he should be fine by now. His dad isn't budging from his side even an inch."

Suddenly, one horse in the large group started to move. It was a tall, spotted stallion - Mizuki's horse.

"Mizuki!", Ren called out in surprise, but the other cat didn't listen and within seconds, the footfalls of the stallion faded away into the night.

Bardo lifted one eyebrow and smirked.

"Oh? What was that? Is Mizuki perhaps a little fond of Tokino?", he mocked playfully and under any other circumstands, Rai would've rammed his sword deep intp the man's chest.

But Konoe seemed so relieved that Tokino was safe that he simply couldn't grab ahold of his weapons now.

"You better get away from here", he chocked out instead and swung himself down from the horseback, holding out his arms for Konoe.

The young Sanga threw himself at Rai and hugged him tightly, burying his face in the crook of his mate's neck. Bardo watched them with a strange expression, then he turned around and swayed his striped tail.

"Alright, alright. See you around, Rai!"

And with that, he disappeared into the darkness just like Mizuki before him. Said man had reached the merchant ship by now, tied his horse to the railing of the pier with shaking hands and dashed up the gangway.

"Tokino!", he called out and opened the door that led under deck.

Various cabins lay before him, but he quickly detected Tokino's scent and barged into the room. A tall man, who was sitting by the bed, jumped to his feet and stared at him in shock.

"W-Who are you?", he demanded nervously, but Mizuki pushed past him and fell to his knees on front of the bed.

Tokino seemed to notice his presence, he stirred slightly and reached out his right hand.

"Mi... Mizuki", he whispered and a pained smile crossed his lips.

The burgundy-haired cat grasped his hand and kissed it softly.

"Yeah, it's me, Tokino", he answered with trembling voice. "Why did you run away, kitten, why? I was so worried, so damn worried about you..."

He felt the boy shift towards him and then, sky blue eyes opened slowly.

"You can't hurt her", he muttered, freeing his hand from Mizuki's grip and gently cupping the man's face. "I ran away because you wanted to hurt her."

With a cracked chuckle, Mizuki pushed his nose against Tokino's right shoulder in an affectionate gesture.

"Kitten, if it means I can keep _you,_ I'm willing to keep _her_ too."

Tokino smiled weakly and closed his eyes again.

"Thank you", he whispered with fading voice.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"So... you went because you wanted to?"

Tokino's father still looked unsure, but his son nodded firmly. He was sitting in his bed at Rai's house, back leaned against Mizuki's chest and tail wrapped around the older male's waist.

"Yeah. Konoe asked me to come along, but nobody forced me", Tokino answered calmly. "And to be honest, I think, joining this crew was the best thing that has ever happened to me."

He smiled, turned his head to the side and Mizuki gave him a soft kiss.

"I have Talon and Mizuki and Konoe now, I can work with the horses and even Rai is being nice to me."

His father paced restlessly.

"But... but he's a pirate!", the merchant cat finally blurted out with a furious glare at Mizuki.

Tokino frowned and bared his teeth, the ginger fur on his tail bristled.

"So what? Does that make him unable to deserve my love? I love him and he cares for me, easy as that. If he was a simple sailor, it wouldn't be any different!", he shot back angrily.

His father growled at him and clenched both fists.

"That may be true, but pirates are hostile people and now you're telling me I came all the way here from Ransen just for you to tell me you've _fallen in love_ with one? I went on this trip to take you back, not to leave you with some stranger who is also a pirate!"

The ginger boy lifted his chin proudly and his ears flattened in irritation.

"Well, I can't remember asking you to come and _take me back."_

"Tokino, you will regret not listening to me one day!", his father yelled and stormed out of the room, leaving the two younger men alone.

Mizuki buried his face in Tokino's hair and nibbled at his ear.

"Did you mean that?", he asked curiously. "That you love me, I mean?"

The redhaired cat leaned back against him and kissed him, smiling against Mizuki's lips.

"I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't meant it", he answered softly.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

The sky was already darkening again and Rai adjusted his clothing, tugging at the belts here and there before leaving their room and walking back downstairs. His kitten was curled up on the couch, reading a book, and Rai couldn't help but watch him for a little bit. Konoe's pink tounge was stuck out in concentration and his crooked tail swayed gracefully until he finally noticed his voyeur and blushed slightly.

"W-What?", he asked irritatedly. "Can't I read a book in peace?"

Rai smirked and swished his own, silver tail in response.

"But you're so beautiful, Ko~no~e", he purred, dragging out the name in an incredibly sexy manner that made the younger cat shiver. "Your tounge sticks out so cutely too, it drives me crazy. Bet you're doing this on purpose, you _want_ to taunt me, don't you?"

Konoe's blush intensified and he shook his head frantically.

"N-No, I'm not doing a-anything!", he stammered in embarassment. "Please, Rai, I really didn't-"

The mocking spark in Rai's ice blue eye cut him off and made him scowl angrily.

"You idiot! Stop flustering me like that!", he hissed and jumped to his feet, throwing himself at the silver cat and attacking him with claws and teeth, but Rai grabbed Konoe's wrists effortlessly and pinned them against the wall behind him, smirking down at his little Sanga.

"Well, _now_ you're really asking for it", he whispered, tracing Konoe's lips with the tip of his long, slender finger before lowering his head and kissing the boy fiercely.

Konoe responded instantly, moaning and pushing up against Rai's hard, hot body above him and the white cat couldn't help but grin into their kiss.

 _You manage to surprise me every day, little one,_ he whispered passionately to himself, but something warm started to pulse in his mind.

_I do?_

Konoe had opened his beautiful, hazel eyes and looked up at him. The words were left unspoken, but they were there at the same time.

 _Yes, you do,_ Rai finally answered and pulled back.

They were both completely out of breath and Konoe's brows furrowed.

"Just what _is_ this?", he muttered curiously. "It's like we're talking when we're not..."

Rai shrugged and carefully let go of Konoe's wrists, seeing the dark bruises he'd left there. A strange sort of regret overcame him and he brought them up to his mouth, caressing the dicoloured spots with his rough tounge. Again, Konoe felt the heat rising into his cheeks and stepped back.

"W-What are you doing, idiot?", he asked embarassedly and rubbed his wrists.

Rai smirked and kissed him again, only briefly this time though.

"I'll be gone for a few hours now, but don't fall asleep. When I'm back, I expect you to wait in our room for me, wearing nothing but this", he whispered, sliding his hand over Konoe's silver bracelet, "and then I want you to scream my name until dawn so everyone in the house can hear that I'm the one you belong to."

Hot and cold shivers rushed down Konoe's spine and a strange, numbing excitement pooled into his abdomen.

"Okay", he managed to choke out, there was nothing else he could answer to such a demand.

Rai gripped his tail and massaged the base shortly, sending sparks of pleasure straight to Konoe's lap.

"Good boy", the white cat purred and then, he turned around. "See you later, kitten~!"

He stepped outside and grinned to himself. His own heartbeat sped up at the thought of everything he planned on doing to Konoe, but that would come later on. For now, he needed to get to the merchant ship. His mare was already saddled and well-rested, eager to move. He mounted her and led her down the path towards the haven, her movements were swift and energetic, but different than usual. Rai scowled and gripped the reins tighter when they reached an especially dark passage that was surrounded by tall trees. The brown mare shied away from it, she was sweating and trembling, stomping her hooves and neighing nervously and as much as Rai tried to urge her on, she wouldn't move one bit. Growling in annoyance, Rai jumped to the ground and dragged her along, but she still resisted and even tried to escape from him.

"Come on now, you've walked through there at least a hundred times before, stop behaving so-"

He could never finish the sentence. The dull side of a blade was slammed against the back of his head and immediately, everything went blurry in front of him. His hand slipped from the reins and the horse spun around in panic, storming off while he sank to his knees and tried to grab his sword. But there was no power left in him and the last thing he saw was a tall, dark figure slipping away into the darkness and a black tail swaying agitatedly.

"That... damn... savage...", he coughed and then, there was nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so fucking excited to write the next chapter lmao Idek why tho xD You know what that means? ɾ⚈▿⚈ɹ FREE COOKIES FOR EVERYONEEEE ( ﾉ^ω^)ﾉﾟ
> 
> Lyrics used: _My jolly sailor bold_ from Pirates of the Caribbean (slightly changed)


	12. Chapter 12 or Meeting anew

_While up aloft in storm_   
_From me his absence mourn_   
_And firmly pray arrive the day_   
_He's never more to roam_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Konoe had just put away his book to get ready for bed when suddenly, Koujaku barged into the living room.

"Konoe, Rai's horse came back alone and there's blood on the saddle!"

For a second, all the young cat could do was stare at the blackhaired man, then he grabbed his throat with one hand, it felt like he was chocking.

"Oh God", he whispered with wide eyes and leaned against the wall behind him, his legs were trembling. "Oh my God, no..."

Koujaku gently wrapped one arm around his waist to keep him from falling, his visible red eye was blazing with worry.

"Me and Noiz are going to look for him, we'll find him, I promise."

Konoe was still pale, but he'd gotten over the shock now and his breathing evened out.

"I'll come with you. If he's hurt - or dead...", his voice cracked again, "I will _kill_ the one responsible for it!"

The black cat seemed hesitant, but then he nodded slowly.

"Okay. Let's go!"

Noiz had saddled two of the strongest horses and Konoe could see Rai's dark brown mare tied to the fence too. She was shaking and sweating and Tokino was standing next to her, carefully stroking her nose and talking to her in a low, calming voice.

"You can ride with Noiz", Koujaku advised and the blond cat helped Konoe up into the saddle without any questions, then he jumped onto the horse too and waited for Koujaku to get ready.

Soon, the horses trotted down the path and the only sounds filling the night were the muffled footfalls of the two animals as well as an occasional snort or soft neigh.

"Rai!", Koujaku called out worriedly and reined his horse.

Their eyesight was good, but the darkness made it almost impossible to see more than the necks of their horses.

"Rai! Where are you?", Konoe yelled, his voice was brighter and got carried further than Koujaku's.

Suddenly, a dark shadow ahead of them moved slightly and Koujaku drew his sword, but Konoe had long noticed the silver shimmer that emitted from the person.

"Rai!", he cried out, jumped out of the saddle and rushed towards the limp figure.

Silvery-white hair was splayed out on the ground like foam on the waves of an ocean, but it was stained with blood and dirt. Rai's blue eye was opened halfway and when he saw Konoe hovering over him, he tried to sit up.

"No, stay down, let me see...", the young Sanga muttered feverishly and brushed Rai's hair aside to get a better look at the wound.

It was covered in dried blood but even so, Konoe could see that the cut was deep. Koujaku knelt down next to them and bit his lips worriedly.

"We need to get him back to the house. Were you attacked by someone?", he asked, directing his whole attention at Rai.

The white cat nodded shortly.

"That... savage...", he spat out and his eye closed again.

Koujaku growled and hoisted the smaller man up by his shoulders before clicking his tounge and reaching out his free hand towards the horse he'd been riding.

"Hey, come here", he beckoned and it slowly stepped towards him.

With a few, swift movements, Koujaku had lifted Rai up and strapped him to the saddle with a couple of loose belts.

"What did he mean?", Konoe asked weakly. "I can't think of a reason why this man would randomly attack Rai!"

Koujaku frowned and started walking, reins wrapped around his clenched fist. Noiz' horse followed slowly.

"He hates Rai", the blackhaired cat stated curtly.

"But why? Just because Rai is living on this island too?", Konoe dug deeper. "That one time he appeared in my room, he said that Rai is a bad person. Why does he think that?"

Koujaku turned around abruptly and the younger cat flinched back when he saw the coldness in the man's expression.

"Listen, Konoe, that's something Rai should tell you himself. I have no right to talk about it with you, okay?"

Nodding embarassedly, Konoe lowered his head.

"I understand. Sorry for being so curious", he muttered.

Koujaku's features softened and he gently ruffled the hair of the boy.

"It's quite alright. Let's just get Rai back and see how bad his wound really is."

Relieved that he wasn't mad anymore, Konoe lifted his eyes from the ground and stepped closer to his unconscious Touga.

"I still don't believe that it was this savage", he whispered to himself and his caramel-tipped ears flicked back and forth as he thought.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"What is happening down there?"

Daichi carefully crept up next to Asato, who was staring into the valley with a frown.

"The white cat is hurt", he answered. "I wonder who did it."

The smaller cat shivered in the cool night air and instinctively, Asato wrapped his cloak around Daichi too.

"There's a second ship in the haven", the blond boy mused. "Maybe there are soldiers?"

Asato shook his head.

"Soldiers aren't scared of fighting man to man, they don't plan ambushes. If they want to hurt someone, they do it openly. This was a single person, but not a ribika."

Daichi sighed and nestled closer to his mate's warm body.

"What happens to the kitten now?", he asked quietly, thinking about the beautiful boy.

Asato didn't know an answer to this question and just shrugged uneasily.

"The others take care of him. If the white cat dies, they will probably make him their servant."

Daichi trembled and shook his head in a violent motion before pushing away from Asato and dashing towards the hidden forest path.

"No, I won't let that happen to the kitten! I'll go down there and help, I can make the white cat recover, the kitten can't be hurt, he can't-"

A dark-skinned hand grabbed his wrist and held him back.

"Daichi, you're talking nonsense! They'll kill you if you go down there, don't go!", he yelled at his mate, his blue eyes were wide and full of fear.

But the blond cat freed himself from Asato's grip and continued down the path.

"I don't care if they kill me", he whispered with trembling hands. "I don't care."

Asato couldn't do anything but follow his mate, bow ready to be drawn and his large cutlass by his side. The house came closer and closer and Daichi didn't slow down once. His steps were swift and determined as he approached the back door and opened it carefully. His blond fur was standing on end, telling Asato that he was frightened to the bone, but he continued on into the house.

"Daichi, come back!", the darkhaired man begged desperately. "Come back into the mountains, maybe they haven't noticed us yet!"

But Daichi didn't seem to even hear him and neither was he listening. The metallic scent of blood hung over the house and it came from the living room. Daichi sneaked towards the door without a sound, opening it carefully. Inside were a few cats gathered around a figure that was resting on the couch.

"Can you do anything about this, Aoba?", a timid voice asked and Daichi could tell that the cat was on the verge of tears.

A bluehaired young man shook his head slightly.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Konoe, but I have no power over him anymore! You're his Sanga now and you're the only one who can sing for him - in combat _and_ otherwise."

Pushing the door open just so far that he fit through the crack, Daichi slipped into the room and everyone turned around to stare at him. He trembled in panic, but he didn't run. He remembered their faces well.

"Who... is this?", a young cat with hazel eyes and beautiful, honey-coloured hair asked.

Daichi smiled reflexively in relief when he noticed that the kitten was fine.

"Daichi!", Clear suddenly blurted out. "You're still alife?!"

The blond cat nodded slowly and approached the lifeless figure on the couch, keeping his distance from the other men.

"I am. I came down here to help."

His gaze remained fixated on Konoe, who stared back at him. This blond boy was the most delicate, beautiful creature he'd ever seen! Was he the one who'd attacked Rai? That couldn't be. He looked so fragile and kind-hearted, Konoe couldn't imagine him even holding a sword. Next to him, Koujaku shifted slightly and wanted to reach out one hand towards Daichi, but suddenly, a black flash burst into the room and growled at the darkhaired man with bared teeth, holding a shining cutlass. Konoe flinched back when he recognized the person.

"You!", he blurted out and the large cat flicked his ears towards him.

Daichi gently pushed down the tanned arm of his companion and swayed his tail.

"This is Asato", he explained with calm voice. "We don't want to fight. We came to help."

Before anyone else could react, Koujaku had lunged forward, throwing Asato to the floor and pressing a sharp dagger against his throat. Konoe screamed and tried to drag the first mate back.

"Koujaku, no! Leave him alone!", he yelled in shock, but the black cat growled at him and bared his fangs.

"This bastard attacked Rai and now he dares to come into our house like it's no big deal? Konoe, come to your senses! He's dangerous!"

The young man stumbled unsurely and looked up at Daichi, who was trembling violently.

"Asato didn't do anything!", he sobbed. "He didn't attack anyone, he was with me the whole day and night! He wouldn't hurt someone without a reason!"

The tanned, blackhaired cat fought viciously to get Koujaku off of him, but they were almost the same height and equally strong.

"Rai said it himself!", Noiz hissed at Konoe and crossed both arms in front of his scarred chest.

Daichi shook his head and Konoe, who couldn't stand to see this beautiful creature like this, hugged him tightly. The boy stiffened in his arms but then, he relaxed slightly and clawed Konoe's shirt with one hand, sobbing dryly.

"Koujaku, I know you're the first mate, but I'm still Rai's Sanga and I'm _ordering_ you, let Asato get up and leave him alone!", he demanded with firm voice.

Looking up at him for a short moment, the blackhaired man finally backed away from Asato and the cat climbed to his feet, bristling his fur and flattening his ears. Daichi slowly looked up at Konoe and returned to Asato's side, who gave his ears a swift, worried lick and flexed his muscles.

"You said it wasn't you who attacked Rai?"

Konoe's hazel eyes wandered over to Asato and the man nodded in agreement.

"We were up in the mountains, watched and hid. I saw a person walk away from him", he pointed at Rai, "but no cat. Taller, stronger. Laughing."

He scowled and Konoe tried to understand. Not a cat...? What did he mean?

"No cat? What was it then?", he asked worriedly. "What did they look like?"

Daichi interrupted the conversation with a soft hum.

"We can talk later. Everyone leaves now except for those who can make themselves useful. Let's see what's wrong with him", he stated quietly and knelt down next to Rai, eyeing the wound.

Konoe watched him while everyone but Aoba, Koujaku and Ren left the room with sinister glares at Asato and Daichi.

"Hm, hm", the blond cat muttered. "Bad injury, but not serious. I can make him recover fully soon. Asato, will you bring me my bag?"

His eyes had a loving shine to them as he looked at the darkhaired cat and Asato nodded before quickly disappearing into the night outside. Konoe looked after him for a few moments before turning towards Rai again. His beautiful, sharp features were distorted with pain and Daichi tugged at Konoe's wrist slightly.

"His dreams are evil right now. Touch him", he whispered.

The younger cat stared at him in confusion, then he placed one hand on Rai's arm and almost immediately, the silver cat relaxed. Daichi smiled.

"See? He feels that you're there."

Konoe didn't answer, he just curled up on the floor next to the couch and rested his head against Rai's shoulder, closing his eyes.

_I want you to get better soon._

After Konoe had fallen asleep like this and Asato had returned with Daichi's belongings, the blond cat began to dissolve various herbs in hot water, cleaned Rai's wound and patched it up, then he frowned at the sleeping boy on the floor.

"Watch out for Konoe tonight", he told Aoba with quiet voice and the bluehaired cat nodded worriedly.

"He looks like he might get a fever."

Daichi tilted his head slightly, throwing a wary glance at Ren and Koujaku, who were waiting patiently by the door.

"Their connection is deep", he muttered then and slung the bag over his shoulder. "I'll come back tomorrow."

Aoba nodded, waved him and Asato goodbye, then he looked towards Koujaku and Ren.

"Let's take them both upstairs, okay?"

Ren carefully scooped Konoe up in his arms and frowned.

"He's burning up", he told Aoba with a soft, concerned purr in his deep voice.

The bluehaired cat followed him and Koujaku upstairs and into the Captain's room. After Rai and Konoe had been placed on their large bed, Aoba slumped down in a chair and sighed exhaustedly.

"I wonder what Rai will say when he hears that Daichi is alife."

But nobody answered.

From that night on, Daichi came by everyday with Asato following him closely and after every visit, Rai seemed to get better. He woke up occasionally and when he did, nobody was allowed to enter his room anymore, not even Koujaku or Aoba. Until now, nobody had told Rai that it was Daichi who cared for him, even if Konoe didn't understand why. The two of them seemed to know eachother, but not even Aoba wanted to tell him what had happened that had made Daichi run away.

"Are you feeling better?", Konoe asked with a smile to stop himself from overthinking again and Rai, who was leaning against the headbord, smirked.

"I'm always feeling great when you're around", he purred and Konoe nipped at his jawbone playfully.

"I mean it, how are you feeling?"

Rai scowled and carefully touched the wound.

"Better. The pain is gone but I still feel dizzy sometimes."

Suddenly, the door opened and Rai's blue eye narrowed.

"Haven't I told you to stay outsi-"

He broke off. Daichi, who was standing in the doorway, looked like he'd turned into stone right here and there. The two cats stared at eachother for a while and Konoe lowered his ears unsurely.

"Rai...?"

But the silver cat didn't listen. All he did was look at Daichi. Slowly, the blond cat entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"I see you're doing better", he finally whispered. "That's good."

Rai swallowed audibly.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

A week had passed and Rai was back on his feet. Daichi still came by from time to time to chat with Konoe and Aoba and slowly, the youngest of the three began to discover some of Daichi's past. He'd been forced onto the pirate ship against his will, just like Konoe, but then, something had happened and Rai had mercilessly left him to his crew. When they'd reached the island, Daichi had been able to escape and Asato eventually found him. Now the two of them were inseparable and it was just adorable how protective Asato had grown over his mate.

It was a hot day on the island and not even a soft breeze was blowing. Rai and his men were out fishing and Konoe, Asato and Daichi had been dozing off on the veranda for quite some time now - there was just nothing else to do on a day like this. Suddenly, the sound of a horse coming up the narrow path jolted them wide awake and Asato jumped to his feet.

"This is not one of the pirates", he whispered hastily and pushed the two younger cats towards the front door. "Get inside, hide, quick! I call you when it's safe to come out."

Pulling Daichi with him, Konoe cowered down beneath one of the windows and threw a quick glance over the windowsill. Asato had returned to his lazily hunched-over position by the wooden fence as the rider came closer by the second.

"Hey you!", a deep voice called out - and Konoe froze. "Where's your Captain?"

Daichi looked at him with a worried expression and mouthed _What's wrong?_ but Konoe just shook his head and sank to the ground, trembling.

"He's out with the others", they heard Asato answer calmly. "They wanted to go fishing."

"Is the Sanga with them?"

Konoe wished he was deaf. Pressing both hands against his ears, he shook his head in silent despair. Daichi gently nudged his shoulder, he didn't react.

"Of course. Rai never leaves him alone."

Asato lied so perfectly that Daichi wondered if he'd lied to him too already.

"I'll come back tomorrow then. Tell him to await me in the evening", the other voice said and then, the footfalls of the horse grew distant.

When Asato came back into the house with a concerned shimmer in his dark blue eyes, Konoe was crying already. Daichi tried to hold him, but the young Sanga backed away from him, his entire body was shaking.

"He said he'd get me, he said it so often and now he came all the way here just for me, oh God, I'm so scared!", he sobbed desperately.

"Konoe, don't cry, we'll tell Rai and nothing can happen to you, okay?", Daichi asked soothingly, trying to approach Konoe once more.

"B-But he came all the way here, I'm scared, I'm _scared,_ he's the one who attacked Rai, I'm sure, he's willing to kill for me and I'm _scared!"_

Asato shook his head slightly and his black tail swayed reassuringly.

"Daichi is right. We tell Rai, he kills this bad man."

Konoe buried his face in both hands, tried to dry the tears that were still dripping down his cheeks.

"No, we can't tell Rai", he whispered. "Verg is too dangerous, he's a devil, he's tried to kill Rai before and the next time he sees him, he'll do it for real, don't you understand?"

Daichi and Asato just exchanged a worried glare.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Konoe had locked himself up in his and Rai's room when Verg returned in the evening of the next day.

"Konoe!", he called out. "I know you're home, I need to talk to you!"

Covering his mouth with both hands like he was scared Verg might hear him breathe, Konoe sank to the floor next to the bed.

"Konoe, answer me! It's important, I need to tell you something I found out back in Ransen!"

The young Sanga didn't make a single noise until he heard Verg ride away again. When Rai came back in the evening, he noticed how jumpy Konoe was.

"Hey, kitten", he called out after dinner and grabbed Konoe's hand, pulling him closer until their chests touched.

Flinching slightly, Konoe tried to escape his embrace, but Rai just tightened his grip.

"Are you running from me, Konoe?", he asked sternly, but the smaller cat just averted his gaze and shook his head.

"N-No. I'm just really tired", he lied and moved away from Rai once more.

It felt like the piercing blue eye above him could look right through his weak façade, but even if Rai had noticed his lie, he'd decided not to comment on it.

"Well then", he muttered and let go of Konoe. "But remember that you can always talk to me."

Nodding hastily, his Sanga hurried up the stairs and into their room, slamming the door shut behind him. Rai's pupil narrowed down to a thin slit.

This night, he felt Konoe toss and turn restlessly, but decided not to pressure the younger cat. If he pushed too hard, Konoe would just feel cornered and avoid him even more. The next day would be exhausting since they needed to hunt a few wild deer, they'd start in the early hours of morning and return at noon. But still, even with that knowledge, Rai couldn't fall asleep either. And so they both lay awake until the moon of light rose over the island. Konoe felt Rai get up, heard the rustling of clothes, felt a soft kiss on his cheek.

"I'll be back as soon as possible, kitten."

He didn't answer. A few hours passed, the light got brighter and brighter. Finally deciding to get up, Konoe stretched and slipped on his loose shirt and trousers before walking down the stairs. The book he was currently reading lay on the table in front of the couch and he sat down, staring at it for a while before picking it up and opening it. Since there was still a chance that Verg would return today again, he decided to stay inside. As he began to read, he didn't notice the large, dark shadow that entered the house and when a soft, captivating voice spoke up behind him, he jumped.

"Konoe~", the voice purred and said cat spun around with wide eyes.

Verg was leaning over the back of the couch, but his smile faded when he saw the fear in Konoe's expression.

"Konoe, I have to talk to you", he tried again and this time, he sounded awfully worried.

"I don't think so", the cat whispered dreadfully and clutched the book to his chest, looking around for Daichi.

He was used to the blond boy being always somewhere around the house, he and Asato practically lived here by now. When Verg gently touched his arm, Konoe couldn't move. He was paralyzed with fright.

"I've always cared about your well-being", Verg continued with a silky voice. "I know you're scared of me, but please, hear me out. I just want the best for you, believe me! What I heard about Rai in Ransen made me set sails immediately and I came here as fast as possible."

Konoe blinked in confusion. Even though he was still scared, his ears started to perk up again.

"Rai...?"

"Can I have a seat?"

The young cat stared at the devil, his mind was unable to come up with a reply. Finally, Verg sat down next to him and gently took his hand, caressing the back of it. His strange, heterochromatic eyes wandered over Konoe's whole body and the boy shuddered.

Where were Daichi and Asato? Could he dare to escape outside? Would Verg follow him? Would the two even hear him if he screamed now?

"I'll get us something to drink", he stated hastily and wanted to get up, but Verg shook his head unwillingly.

"I don't want to drink something, I'd rather talk to you right now. Aren't you curious about that Touga of yours?"

Konoe tried to keep his expression unapproachable, but a strange fever seized him. What was Verg talking about?

"Not really, no."

He tried to push the devil away, the strange spark in those eyes scared him.

"Did he buy you something?", Verg asked casually.

Konoe lifted his head and his brows furrowed.

"What?"

"Did he buy you something?", Verg repeated with the patience of an angel. "A bracelet? A necklace? A ring, even?"

The cat swallowed and his gaze dropped to the silver bracelet on his wrist. Verg followed his eyes and smiled grimly.

"Beautiful, isn't it? What did he tell you, what is this?"

Looking at him unsurely, Konoe clasped his wrist tightly. His fair skin had gotten a soft, bronze shine to it, a result of the bright sun here on Rai's island.

"He said it's something all Tougas buy for their Sanga", he muttered.

Verg carefully touched the bracelet.

"He said that, hm? And did he also tell you that you shouldn't be able to take it off anymore?"

Konoe nodded and stared at the small gems that were embedded in the silver jewelry. The whitehaired devil sighed and tugged at the bracelet - and to Konoe's surprise, it slid over his wrist and clattered to the ground. He couldn't avert his gaze anymore.

"W-What... does that mean?", he whispered in shock and Verg gently began to stroke his ears with a compassionate expression.

"Kitten, that means, you never really were his Sanga."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is revenge. Fucking REVENGE, you hear me, Senpai?! I originally wanted to split this chapter into two and continue the ending right away BUT TWO CAN PLAY THE GAME OF CLIFFHANGERS! (*≧ w ≦)
> 
> Lyrics used: _My jolly sailor bold_ from Pirates of the Caribbean


	13. Chapter 13 or Goodbye?

Cold shivers ran down Konoe's back and he felt like someone had emptied a bucket with ice water over his head.

"But... But he said...", he choked out and tears were brimming in his eyes.

"Yes, he said that you belonged to him, he said that you were his Sanga and you believed it, didn't you? He wanted to take you away and the easiest way to do that was to make you believe you belonged to him in all rightful ways. I should've never let you go, my poor kitten", Verg muttered and hugged him tightly.

Konoe sobbed and buried his face against Verg's shoulder, right now, he didn't care who was comforting him. All he could think was _Rai lied to me._ Rai had taken him away and he'd done it like everything had been legal and settled, but when he'd found out that Tokino had sneaked on board too, he'd gotten furious. Because Tokino could've gotten Konoe out of there with some help from the right people. Everything fit together now.

"See, Konoe, you're so young, sixteen, if I remember correctly?"

He nodded silently and still couldn't stop thinking about how Rai had put the bracelet on him.

"You're not even of age", Verg continued while rubbing calming circles into Konoe's back. "There is no way Bardo could've handed you over to Rai, he wasn't even authorized to do so. He may have been your caretaker, but you never _belonged_ to him, just as much as you never belonged to that pirate."

Tears dripped into the black feather boa Verg had slung over his shoulder and Konoe's shoulders shook. He was pale and felt dizzy, everything was spinning around him.

"Poor child, he took everything from you", the devil muttered carefully. "Come, we'll go outside so you can get some fresh air. There's a nice little path not far away from here where it's cooler. We need to talk as soon as you've recovered."

Before Konoe even knew what was going on, Verg had wrapped one arm around his waist and led him outside, into the shadows of a few tall trees. It really _was_ cooler here by the riverside. Maybe Verg did care for him, after all, he'd come all the way from Ransen just to tell him this.

"Shhh, stop crying, it will be alright", a deep voice muttered above his head. "My poor Konoe! You're still such a child, I should've recognized that sooner. After growing up in Bardo's inn and working there for almost six years, I thought you'd understand how this world and the mind of sailor cats work, but instead you're naive like a kitten. I wish I could've been here to help you sooner."

"That's very nice of you", Konoe whispered automatically without really meaning it.

The pain in his chest left him beyond reach for everything that belonged to the outside world, the only thought that kept spinning in his head was _I never really was Rai's Sanga, he fooled me, he tricked me, he used me!_

"Konoe, would you look at me for a moment?", Verg asked gently and the young cat really lifted his head. "Do you know why Rai didn't make you his Sanga?"

The dull glance he got in return was answer enough.

"He already has one."

Just when Konoe had thought that his world was laying in pieces already, those pieces shattered to dust and trickled from his shaking hands.

"No", he whispered, but the word was barely understandable.

His voice was a mixture of pain, anger, despair and hopelessness and hot tears overflew from his eyes, making their way down his cheeks like pearls spread on bronze-coloured satin. Verg pulled him closer and stroked his ears, whispered incomprehensible nothings to calm him down as Konoe screamed, cried, trashed against the body of the devil in agony and just wished for the world to end right here and there because Rai had disappeared from it and nothing was left for him anymore.

When finally the last bit of energy was drained from Konoe's mind and he couldn't even find the power to keep crying, Verg gently brushed his sweaty hair aside and looked down at him with a strange, soft expression Konoe had never seen on the usually smirking devil before.

"Come with me, Konoe. My horse is waiting just down by the beach, my ship is ready to set sails any minute. I can take you away from here, now and forever and you can stay with me or Bardo if you want and everything will be okay. Let me show you how much I love you, how much I admire you..."

His voice sounded so invitingly, so silky-soft and alluring, that Konoe stumbled right into his arms and nodded desperately.

"Yes", he whispered. "Yes, take me away. I don't care where we're going."

The triumphant spark in Verg's eyes went by unnoticed by him.

"Good. But first, I get to wish for something. I came all the way here for you, Konoe, I will take care of you when we're back in Ransen, I'll dress you in jewels and gold, you'll be my precious little gem yet you've kept me waiting for so long now, you're driving me insane. In exchange for all those things, you will be at my service, but for now, all I want from you is a single kiss", he purred hypnotically.

Konoe felt nothing but disgust when Verg lowered his head, but he didn't resist. Hot lips pressed against his own, a tounge invaded his mouth roughly, trembling hands came up to claw at his hair. After what felt like an eternity, Verg finally pulled back and groaned quietly.

"You taste sweet like honey, do you know that? God, I can't wait to devour you whole", he panted and Konoe turned his head to the side.

A hand grabbed his own, dragged him down the path towards the beach and the black horse that was waiting there. He was lifted into the saddle and Verg followed with a strangely graceful movement, something that seemed impossible for someone with his stature. After clicking his tounge to get the horse moving, Verg led the animal to the south where the pier was.

"Do you want to know who your precious Touga's real Sanga is?", the devil asked casually.

When Konoe didn't answer, he chuckled and tightened his grip.

"The blond kitten you've surely heard about from the other pirates. He's been Rai's Sanga for a long time before the _Revenge_ and her crew even existed. But then, all the power eventually got to Rai's head and he wanted the kitten to come with him on a ship in search of new fights. The poor thing and his family dared to defy him and so a whole village ended up slaughtered by Rai alone. He took his Sanga with him by force, crazy with bloodlust, but the kitten never sung again, not even as Rai got into a fight with hostile sailors and almost died. He lost an eye that day and after that, the kitten went from being his precious Sanga to a worthless toy for his crew to entertain them, but there is no way a true bond can be broken, so the kitten is practically still his Sanga. Sad story, hm?"

The body of the young cat before him had stiffened noticeably while he talked.

_A blond kitten._

X x X x X x X x X

"Konoe! Konoe, where are you?"

Rai was frantically opening and closing doors, the white fur on his tail stood on end and his ears moved restlessly.

"If this is some stupid game you're playing, you better come out now or face the cosequences!", he finally bellowed, clenching both fists.

He was trembling and sweating like crazy, his whole being was focussed on finding Konoe. But even as he checked all of the rooms upstairs, there was still no sign of the kitten.

"Konoe, if you're doing this to piss me off, you did it! I'm pissed off, for fucks sake, and now stop fooling around!"

His voice was slowly becoming panicked.

"Rai? What's wrong?"

Clear stood by the end of the stairs, head tilted questioningly. The white cat dashed past him and stopped by the front door.

"Konoe is gone", he snapped and stepped outside.

A few of his men were lazing around on the veranda and to his irritation, Daichi and Asato had joined them again today.

"Has anyone seen Konoe or knows where he is?", he demanded, earning worried and surprised glares from all around.

"Konoe? Nope, haven't seen him today", Koujaku finally admitted and everbody agreed quietly.

Daichi's golden ears perked up and he began to tremble.

"This is bad", he whispered desperately and turned around to Asato, who looked equally concerned.

Rai bared his fangs, his eye wandered from Daichi to Asato and back.

"What? You two know something, don't you? What have you done to him? I swear to God, if you hurt him-"

He already wanted to lash out his sword when Asato grabbed his wrist and dragged him towards the path that led to the island's haven.

"It's our fault!", Daichi whined, following closely after them. "We should've told you anyway, no matter what Konoe said!"

Rai jerked himself free from Asato's grip, but he continued running. Something told him that the two of them knew what they were doing.

"A man came, two times, three times", Asato explained, breathing heavily. "No cat, a man with horns, black horns, like a dragon. He asked for Konoe, but I said No, no, Konoe is not here. He came again, we watched from the mountains. But Konoe hid and so the man rode away. Today, he came again, I saw him ride to the house. Daichi said Go down, protect Konoe, but we didn't know if Konoe was hiding again or not and we couldn't risk walking down to the house when the man was still there. After some time, I saw him ride his horse back to the haven, but I hoped Konoe would be fine. He isn't, the man has taken him!"

Rai felt himself growing nauseous. That devil... Verg. _He_ was the reason why Konoe had been so jumpy lately!

"I knew he was on the ship, it's his crest on the sails, but I didn't think he would dare to approach Konoe!", he cursed while increasing his speed. "Why didn't he tell me that Verg has tried to get ahold of him?"

Daichi was gasping, but he managed to keep up with the two taller cats.

"He said Verg was the one who attacked you and that he'd do it again, he was scared you'd be killed", he explained, completely out of breath.

Rai could hit himself in the face. Of course, Konoe had feared he'd start a fight with Verg. Even so, he felt a wave of affection for his brave little kitten who'd rather want to get himself in danger than seeing Rai hurt. With aching muscles and trembling legs, they reached the haven just in time. Verg had just helped Konoe out of the saddle and had taken the reins of his black horse when Rai dashed up to the pier.

"What do you think you're doing?", he yelled, enraged. "You're not taking Konoe anywhere!"

To his surprise, there was no relief in Konoe's eyes, only a strange dullness. He didn't call out for Rai, he didn't came running towards him. His face was serious as he watched Rai for a moment - then he turned around. Verg gently placed one hand on his back and urged him towards the gangway.

"Why don't you go ask Bardo which cabin is mine and lay down for a while, darling? I'm sure you're exhausted. I'll handle this here for you."

And without resistance, without uttering a single word of protest, Konoe started walking up to the ship. Rai felt his jaw going slack, Daichi and Asato next to him weren't any better.

"Konoe!", he screamed and brandished his sword, storming towards the devil with bared fangs. "What do you think you're doing?"

His blade clashed against a quickly drawn weapon, the whitehaired devil grinned triumphantly.

"Don't bother trying to stop him, you idiot. He's here because he wants to and believe me when I say that none of your false promises can keep him on your cursed island anymore."

Rai's hits grew more and more furious, he pushed the devil back further and further, his lips twitched and his shoulders were trembling.

"Get back here, Konoe! You know that you're supposed to sing!"

Suddenly, the slender cat spun around and a desperate spark was flaring up in his lifeless eyes.

"If you want a Sanga to sing for you, why don't you ask your own? He's standing right behind you!", he screamed and burst into tears, covering his face with both hands.

Verg's face changed from arrogant to angry as he shoved Rai back roughly.

"Why can't you just shut your goddamn mouth?", he yelled at the silver cat. "Isn't it enough that you've lied to him and used him? Did you have to bring that boy here as well?"

His gaze landed on Daichi for a second who was staring at Konoe with wide eyes, then he turned back to Rai, who was standing on the pier with trembling arms and legs, his ice blue eye wandering from Verg to Daichi and finally to Konoe.

"Konoe", he choked out desperately. "Konoe, believe me, I-"

"I don't want to hear it!", the young cat screamed back at him. "You're a lying bastard and I've got enough of your shit! Go back to wherever you came from and _never_ talk to me again!"

His tears wouldn't stop flowing, even as he spat out those words. Rai was still staring at him, left speechless. No matter how angry Konoe had been ever before, he'd _never_ talked like this.

"I have no idea what this fucking two-faced devil here told you, but it's not true, Konoe!", he called out in despair. "Please, tell me what's wrong and I'll fix it, I swear!"

But before Konoe could even answer, Verg followed him up the gangway and smirked down at the three cats.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I think it's enough emotional pain for Konoe to know that you've been lying all along, he doesn't need to hear even more lies from you. If you would excuse us then..."

He placed both hands on Konoe's shoulders and wanted to guide him onto deck, when the boy suddenly remembered something.

"Let me go for a moment, I still have something that belongs to Rai", he muttered and Verg stepped away from him with a short frown.

Walking down the gangway with slow, heavy steps, Konoe pulled something from his pocket and when he reached Rai, he held it out. The silver cat opened his hand to take it and felt like his heart was being torn apart. A silver bracelet with red rubys embedded in it lay in his palm and sparkled under the bright blue afternoon sky. When he looked up, Konoe's eyes weren't dull anymore. They were nothing but sad and heartbroken.

"I don't hate you", he whispered before gently closing Rai's hand over the bracelet and turning around to board the ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might end the story here. Tho I have something like an Epilogue planned, idk would you like to see that or should we end it in tears and despair?
> 
> PS: My internet died recently and I'm using my bro's PC but he won't let me have it for longer than five minutes if absolutely necessary I've currently distracted him to post this chapter so plz forgive me if I don't upload immediately


	14. Chapter 14 or New life

_I know an ancient song_  
_My father sang for me_  
_This melody so soft and pure_  
_Is slowly breaking free:_  
_When the moon floats through the window,_  
_Dew lays on meadows,_  
_And night waves itself a garment_  
_From thousand shadows_  
_When the world falls asleep_  
_And the nightmares dwell_  
_The wind whispers to you:_  
_"All fairytales end well."_

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

"Konoe!"

Rai dashed forward, grabbed Konoe's hand and spun him around. His strong arms wrapped around the small, slender body before him, pulled him closer, as close as possible.

"Please Konoe, don't leave me now", he whispered and to Konoe's surprise, tears were dripping from Rai's visible eye. "Don't go, I beg of you, don't leave me..."

Completely and utterly shocked, Konoe stared up at the silver cat, he was unable to move anymore.

"Rai...", he choked out and desperation tore at his guts with ice cold claws. "No, don't cry, no, no..."

Hectically trying to wipe the tears from Rai's face, he leaned up and buried both hands in the smooth, silky strands of white hair.

"Don't cry, Rai..."

"You're asking for something impossible!", the taller man growled bitterly. "Why did you take off your bracelet? Why are you going with this devil? Why are you doing this to me?"

Konoe swallowed thickly around the knot in his throat and rested his head against Rai's chest while the silver cat hugged him even closer. The erratic heartbeat beneath his cheek slowly fell into synch with his own until it felt like back then on the ship when Rai had been fighting and he'd sung for him, like they were one and nothing could separate them anymore.

"I never really was your Sanga, was I?", Konoe finally muttered. "Daichi is still your Sanga and you still love him."

Rai lifted his chin and stared down at him for a long time, then he shook his head in determination.

"No, Konoe. You're my true Sanga, I knew it the moment you greeted me back at the inn. I've never felt something like that before. You're the only one I'd entrust my life to, you're the only one that has ever truly reached me during a fight, you're on my mind every night and day and when I have to leave you, all my thoughts are centered around you until I'm finally back by your side where I belong. I _belong_ to you, Konoe, in such a natural and perfect way I've never belonged to someone else before. Daichi... is a shadow of my past, a haunting memory, and I'm sorry for what I've done to him and his village, but I've never felt something quite like this for him."

Konoe felt like crying too.

"But... Verg said, a true bond can never be broken!", he sobbed. "How can you say I'm your Sanga when you still belong to Daichi?"

Rai laughed dryly and his white tail slowly curled around the crook in Konoe's own.

"Daichi is a good Sanga, he was precious to me because of his power, I'll admit that, but there was never something between us I would've considered true feelings - we were merely mutually beneficial for eachother. Though indeed, a true bond should and can not be broken. So don't break ours now. I beg you, Konoe."

Wide, hazel eyes stared up at him in surprise before Konoe carefully looked at the silver bracelet that was still clutched tightly by Rai's hand.

"I'm... _I am_ your true Sanga?"

Nodding gently, Rai brushed a few strands of honey-coloured hair out of his mate's face, then he sank to his knees in front of the smaller cat and took Konoe's hand in his own.

"You're not only my true Sanga, you're the one I love and I want you to stay with me. I love you, Konoe."

He was smiling now and for the first time since Konoe knew him, the smile reached his eye too. The silver bracelet was gently slipped back on his wrist and this time, it felt like the metal was melting, becoming one with Konoe's skin and flesh and when he touched it, it was warm and glowed beneath his fingertips.

"I..."

He was at a loss for words. Instead, something rose from his very core, like a bird that started spreading its wings again after being locked up for a long, long time. White fire pulsed through his veins, licked at the back of his eyes, made him blind for everything but Rai who slowly got back to his feet and caught Konoe in his arms, staring down at him in wonder and admiration.

 _You're singing,_ he whispered without moving his lips and then Konoe saw them - the glowing strings of light that were emitting from his body, wrapping around Rai and filling them both with a strange warmth.

 _For you,_ he answered, and his tone couldn't be called anything but loving. _I'm singing for you._

"Konoe! Rai, watch out!"

A sudden yell made them turn around and at once, a black sword came crushing down on them and only thanks to Rai's reflexes, none of them were hit.

"You bastard! I had it all layed out _perfectly!",_ an agitated voice roared and Verg began to throw one blow after another at Rai. "I had him on my fucking ship already, he was almost mine and then you came and _messed everything up!"_

Rai was fighting back with all of his might and Konoe started to spin the melody that was spilling from his body into a song, putting all of his love, his affection and his trust for Rai into his voice at once. But even the silver cat was no match against an enraged devil - not alone, at least.

But suddenly, a second blade began dodging Verg's attacks alongside Rai and with frightening determination, Asato bared his snow white fangs.

"I will not let you hurt any of my friends", he growled and together, he and Rai managed to gain some ground, pushing Verg further and further to the end of the pier.

But suddenly, an electric hum echoed through the air and both cats were thrown to the ground, Asato's sword slipped from his trembling hand and he stared at it in shock, the muscles twitched unrhythmically beneath his dark skin. Rai was laying face down on the wooden planks a few feet away, white sparks of electricity were dancing over his sword and arm. Konoe almost wanted to call out for his Touga, when Verg lifted his sword with a grin, the tip was aimed at Asato's throat.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll slice your head off, then you won't have to watch", he purred with sickeningly sweet voice.

But before he could thrust the blade down, another sound suddenly pierced everyone's ears. Daichi's beautiful eyes were fixated on Verg as he sang, the sheer melody seemed to paralyze the demon and while Asato quickly grabbed his sword, Rai started to move again, too. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his blade, he sat up and looked back at the two Sangas. He knew Daichi's voice well, he'd heard it often enough, but this time, the song wasn't meant for him. Instead, the light started to engulf Asato next to him and both songs fell into a matching rhythm, growing faster and louder and suddenly, both Tougas dashed forward at once - and rammed their blades into Verg's chest.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

For a second, time froze. Rai's and Asato's eyes met with Verg's, the glowing from their swords that were still buried deep in the devil's body began to take up more and more space until Verg looked like a creature of pure light. Rai was breathing heavily when he felt Konoe's song fading out and Asato seemed to be the same, too. With a low crack, the devil suddenly burst into bright, white dust that scattered over the wooden pier and finally got carried away by the wind that came up. It was a cool breeze that made Rai's silver hair sway slightly and dried the sweat from their skin. Turning around, the large cat saw Konoe and Daichi dashing towards them and opened his arms to catch his Sanga. The force with which Konoe crashed against his body as well as his sweet scent was overwhelming and Rai stumbled slightly before nuzzling Konoe's caramel-tipped ears and kissing him feverishly.

"You're safe now, kitten", he whispered against the boy's lips with rough voice. "Nobody is ever going to take you away from me again, I promise."

Konoe nodded and wrapped both arms around Rai's neck.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble."

Blushing furiously in shame and embarassment, he lowered his head and hid his face against Rai's shoulder. A hand gently scratched the base of his left ear and it drooped while at the same time, a low purr started to rumble in Konoe's throat.

"Konoe, you didn't do it on purpose, so let's just forget about all this. Verg is gone, the bracelet is back on your wrist and I couldn't be happier right now", Rai muttered and suddenly turned around.

To everyone's surprise, he bowed towards Asato and Daichi, lifting his hand to his chest in a respectful gesture.

"Thank you", he spoke quietly. "Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to get Konoe back. If I can do something for you, please let me know."

Daichi nodded in response and stepped closer to Asato, who wrapped one arm around him protectively.

"I have only one request: Let me and Asato live peacefully in the future. We don't want to hide and escape from you and your crew everytime you come here", he stated seriously.

Rai looked down at the petite cat and smiled, a genuine smile.

"Of course. You two are free to roam over the island and nobody is allowed to bother you in any way anymore", he agreed.

Grabbing Konoe's hand, he turned to face his Sanga.

"Thank you, Konoe. For everything you've done for me since we've met. For finally freeing me from this madness. For giving me a reason to be happy again."

The younger cat suddenly burst out into bright laughter, hugged Rai tightly and buried his face in his mate's neck.

"I love you too, Rai. But... I need you to promise something to me."

Rai lifted one brow and nodded as a sign that he was listening.

"Promise me that you'll never have any kind of... _relationship_ with someone else."

Konoe spat out the word _relationship_ like it was poison on his tounge. Rai thought - for a much too long time, his Sanga noticed, then his pale lips parted.

"Konoe, I-"

"Don't you dare telling me that you have needs, because I have them too and being able to trust you is one of them", the younger cat interrupted him and suddenly, Rai grinned.

"You and your eterneal mistrust", he chuckled and wrapped both arms around Konoe's trim waist. "My beautiful little kitten, there will never be someone else I could desire as much as I desire you."

And with those words, he leaned down and kissed Konoe while a warm breeze ruffled their hair.

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

_A year later..._

※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※ ◎ ※

Konoe was standing by the bow of the _Revenge,_ enjoying the salty smell in the air while the sailors started setting up the black sails. Rai stepped up behind him and hugged him, resting his chin on Konoe's shoulder.

"Excited?", he asked in amusement and the younger cat nodded.

"Yeah, I'm happy that we're able to sail again."

Rai smiled, kissed his cheek and winked.

"Maybe you should go down to the pier one last time, someone came to say Goodbye", he whispered and Konoe's face brightened up.

He dashed towards the gangway and down to the beach. There, in the white sand, stood Asato and Daichi with broad smiles on their faces.

"Are you leaving again already, Konoe?", the blond cat asked, nuzzling Konoe's shoulder affectionately.

Flicking his tail in disappointment, Konoe nodded and shrugged helplessly.

"I can't leave Rai alone or he'll get himself into trouble", he answered with a laugh. "You take good care of Yoru too while we're gone!"

The small kitten with fair skin and jet black hair that was sitting on Daichi's arm lifted his head when he heard Konoe's voice and reached out both arms towards him, mewling happily. Konoe lifted him up and nudged his tiny nose.

"Better grow big and strong soon, when we're back, you'll have a kitten to play with", he explained with a giggle and Daichi's eyes widened.

"Konoe, don't say you're... you too?"

The younger cat smiled proudly, one of his hands came down to rest on his still flat belly.

"Yep, I noticed it a week ago."

Daichi squealed and literally jumped Konoe, hugging him so tightly that Asato had to gently pry him off again.

"That's amazing! I'm so happy for you and Rai!", the blond cat whined and his tail swished agitatedly.

Konoe just wanted to answer, when someone called out to him.

"Konoe, we're weighing the anchor!"

Waving one last time at the small family by the shore, Konoe rushed up the gangway.

"I'll miss you, take care!", he yelled with tears in his eyes.

Asato took Daichi's hand and while the ship started moving, they grew smaller and smaller until they were nothing but three black spots by the shore. Konoe was still staring back at the island, when Rai suddenly came up behind him again. They stayed silent for a long time.

"Yoru really looks just like his Daddys, hm?", Rai asked suddenly, his voice was distant but he was smiling.

Konoe leaned against his shoulder and purred when he felt Rai's hands on his stomach.

"I'm sure our baby will be just as beautiful", he muttered happily.

A low chuckle as well as a few gentle kisses to the back of his neck answered.

"If he just looks anything like you, he'll be gorgeous."

Konoe bit back a grin and frowned in playful anger.

 _"He_ could be a _she_ too, you know", he teased.

Rai shook his head determinately and Konoe noticed that he was strangely serious.

"My first child will be a son and we will name him Uminōji."

For a while, they just stood there, enjoyed eachother's warmth and stared into the sunset.

"Yes, he will be the prince of the ocean with pirate Captain Rai as his father", Konoe finally muttered.

"And the most beautiful, talented Sanga as his Daddy", Rai answered, eliciting another smile from Konoe.

"Stop flattering me, idiot!"

"What? I'm just telling the truth and if you can't stand it, don't listen!"

"Pretty much impossible to overhear you, Mister Ego!"

"Oi, that was mean!"

"What, can't take it? Don't listen, then!"

"Konoe!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the final chapter and I'm sorry for ending it so incredibly sappy and horrible but I figured I'd write this before my writer's block kicks in again so u probably noticed I had no real motivation to write this, sorry 'bout that.
> 
> Uminōji is Japanese and means _Prince of the ocean_
> 
> Lyrics used: _Märchen enden gut_ by Oonagh (translated and slightly changed)


End file.
